The 2006 N. C. Skills
Market Survey
Reconnecting Public Education
With Economic Reality
Cherie Berry, Commissioner
N. C. Department of Labor
1101 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699- 1101
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Discussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Contents
ii
In my travels across the state, employers have expressed concerns about the
scarcity of skilled labor and the difficulty they have finding qualified employees.
For this reason, I wanted to conduct a survey to better gauge the opinions of North
Carolina employers on the ability of today’s high schools to prepare young people
for work, if they are satisfied with the skills of recent high school graduates, and
what difficulty they are having finding qualified workers.
The results from the 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey discussed in this report are
not surprising. We have known that our state and nation face a growing shortage
of skilled labor because of at least two factors. First, aging baby boomers are
beginning to retire, and a low U. S. birth rate means there are fewer workers to
replace them. Second, fewer young people are willing to consider skilled trades as
a career choice. There also is decreasing support for career education in our pub-lic
high schools that are almost exclusively focused on higher education. Because
of these factors, the shortage of skilled workers in construction, manufacturing
and services is growing more severe each year, and unless the trend is reversed,
the shortage will grow worse over the next 15 years to 20 years.
While some of the findings do indicate improvement, mostly they tell us we are
facing serious challenges. Solving the problem will require multiple solutions,
with everyone— education, government, business, parents and students— working
together to build a first- rate workforce for North Carolina. The recommendations
made in this report are based on the findings from the survey and involve most of
the key stakeholders. Most importantly, the survey indicates that business and
industry in North Carolina, as well as the education and government systems, have
work to do. This report calls for more action on the part of our business commu-nity
on both a corporate and local level.
The education and skills that our citizens bring to the workplace are our most crit-ical
economic development issue. Without an educated and skilled workforce, we
will lag behind in our efforts to attract new industry. We risk losing jobs to other
states or outsourcing them to other countries with skilled labor available. We also
run the risk of our small employers, our best generator of new jobs, going out of
business because they do not have the resources to recruit, train and keep skilled
workers.
If we want to improve our labor pool, then we need to give the issue much more
attention than currently is being given by education, government and our business
community. I hope this report helps us move toward closing the skills gap and
building a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
Cherie Berry
N. C. Commissioner of Labor
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Preface
iii
The purpose of the 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey was to determine employer
opinions on the ability of North Carolina high schools to prepare graduates for
work and the status of the state’s skills market. A total of 1,411 N. C. employers
responded. According to the respondents, most ( 52.9 percent) entry- level jobs
require only a high school diploma. In comparison to a previous survey of N. C.
employers in 1989, the percentage of entry- level jobs requiring only a high school
diploma has gone virtually unchanged. Moreover, nearly three out of four ( 73.2
percent) said that their entry- level jobs require a high school diploma or less, and
only one out of seven ( 14.4 percent) require a postsecondary degree.
When N. C. employers were asked if they would hire high school students for
part- time work and give them job- specific skills training, nearly two- thirds
( 62.5 percent) said they are unlikely to do so. While two- thirds are happy with
the computer and reading skills of recent high school graduates ( 65.1 percent
and 63.0 percent, respectively), a similar percentage ( 64.8 percent) is not satis-fied
with graduates’ employability skills, and a majority ( 51.0 percent) said
recent graduates do not have the necessary oral and written communication
skills for their entry- level jobs. Also, more N. C. employers are satisfied than
dissatisfied with recent high school graduates’ math and science skills ( 46.8
percent and 36.7 percent, respectively). In comparison with previous surveys in
1989 and 1994, N. C. employers seem to indicate there has been an improve-ment
in the academic skills of high school graduates. Yet one- fourth to one-third
of employers are still dissatisfied with the reading, science and math skills
of graduates ( 22.3 percent, 26.5 percent and 33.4 percent, respectively). As an
overall grade for N. C. high schools ability to prepare graduates for the work-force,
nearly one- half of employers ( 49.6 percent) gave the schools a C and
while a quarter either gave an F or D ( 4.7 percent and 21.0 percent, respective-ly)
or gave an A or B ( 2.3 percent and 22.4 percent, respectively). Moreover,
one- third of N. C. employers ( 34.2 percent) do not participate in any activities
with local schools.
Based on N. C. employers’ written comments, they perceive recent high school
graduates as immature, disrespectful, irresponsible and unethical. Many recent
graduates seem to believe that a job and a paycheck are an entitlement. Employers
also describe them as lazy and lacking any discipline, dependability, motivation to
work or desire to succeed. Personal appearance, appropriate or professional dress,
and hygiene are also problems encountered by employers. Moreover, N. C.
employers believe high schools are too focused on preparing graduates for college
and believe that not enough emphasis is placed on preparing graduates to go
to work.
These results clearly indicate that N. C. employers primarily value work experi-ence
and employability skills. Job applicants with prior work experience are more
likely to have developed the attitudinal qualities, soft skills and behaviors that
employers say they want to see in people applying for their entry- level jobs.
Traditionally many high school students develop employability skills by working
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
iv
“ As an electronics manufacturer in
northeastern North Carolina, our single
biggest challenge is finding and retain-ing
personnel. Our experience is that the
lack of technical skills and general
employability ( work ethic, attendance)
are a growing problem. We are strug-gling
with this on a daily basis, and
have not yet been able to find a strategy
to overcome these obstacles.”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
part- time jobs after school, on weekends and during summer months. In point of
fact, there is good evidence that teenage employment has many beneficial effects
including postsecondary educational attainment, even when adolescents have low
educational promise upon entry to high school and it confers advantages in the
early socioeconomic career.
Yet a declining number of North Carolina’s 16- and 17- year- olds are benefiting
from the effects of part- time employment. The number of Youth Employment
Certificates being issued to the state’s 16- and 17- year- olds has dropped apprecia-tively
from 52 percent in 1995 to 28 percent in 2004, nearly a 50 percent drop.
Moreover, N. C. employers are dismayed by the state’s skills market. Nearly three
out of four N. C. employers ( 78.5 percent) tell us they have some degree of prob-lem
finding qualified help, with little over one- third ( 36.9 percent) saying it is
either a difficult or severe problem. By and large, employers have the most trou-ble
finding skilled/ technical labor. They are also pessimistic regarding the future.
Most ( 56.6 percent) believe the problem will get worse, and only 10 percent
believe it will get better. The skills shortage appears to be a chronic problem in
North Carolina based on prior employer surveys going back to 1989 and 1994.
When describing the N. C. skills market, many employers used negative terms
such as prehistoric, dismal, poor, deteriorating, very weak, limited, inadequate or
losing ground, while only one gave a positive comment.
When rejecting job applicants, N. C. employers are most likely ( 61.5 percent) to
do so for inadequate employability skills, lack of work experience and job- specif-ic
skills, poor communication skills, and no prior references. When making hiring
decisions, employers tell us the most important factors are job applicants’ attitude
( 69.9 percent), followed by their ability to communicate ( 44.4 percent) and their
appearance ( 37.2 percent). They are also likelier to hire veterans, women, recent
high school graduates and older people, and least likely to hire the disabled and
former prison inmates.
Because of the skills scarcity, N. C. employers are likelier ( 61 percent) to meet
their need for qualified workers by hiring people with fewer skills than required
for the job and train them. Most employers ( 53.9 percent) said they are spending
more, and most of their training dollars are devoted to training employees in tech-nical
and basic skills. However, some of the employers complained that there is
not enough unskilled labor that is trainable because of poor skills, difficulty with
the English language or substance abuse problems.
Recommendations
Less than six out of 10 students who go to college will earn a baccalaureate degree
and less than half entering community colleges return the second year. This sig-nals
a “ disconnect” between the messages students receive and economic realities.
Approximately three out of four jobs currently require a high school diploma or
less and that ratio is not expected to change for the next 10 years. As a conse-quence,
high schools will remain the largest supplier of workers for our state’s
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
v
“ The schools need to embrace the tech-nical
aspect of instruction better. We
need more skilled labor than we need
computer operators.” ( Construction, 10-
24 employees)
“ It would be helpful to incorporate more
technical training and job knowledge for
area employability. Most high schoolers
do not understand what is required
beyond high school to meet the qualifi-cations
for certain jobs or what is avail-able
in their area.” ( Government, 500-
999 employees)
employers and the more significant educational institution in preparing young
people for work. N. C. high schools need to take more seriously the workforce
needs and requirements of our state’s employers. Consequently:
• Every high school graduate needs to be job- ready, which means that N. C. high
schools need to continue improving the basic academic skills of all graduates so
that they have an adequate foundation in which to be trained in job specific skills.
• N. C. high schools must reverse the trend of fewer high school students receiving
the beneficial effects of work experience by reviving cooperative education and
expanding other work- based learning opportunities such as internships, registered
apprenticeship and even entrepreneurial opportunities. Moreover, middle schools
and high schools need to help students begin thinking about their future occu-pational
goals by exposing them to different occupations through means such as
field trips and job shadowing. Parents, who for the most part have one vision
for career and financial success which is the attainment of a four- year degree,
also need to be exposed to career information and opportunities to help their
children make good career choices.
• Our state’s retiring baby boomers with knowledge and experience in skilled
trades should be enlisted into a volunteer community service organization like
Volunteers in Service to America ( VISTA) to work with schools to mentor and
coach students and teachers.
The best way for N. C. employers to solve their own skills crisis and guarantee that
graduates that high school graduates are job- ready is by becoming more involved
in local schools. N. C. employers should not expect the school’s to take the initia-tive
or bear this responsibility alone. As a result:
• N. C. employers should take leadership in creating viable business- education
partnerships organized to improve employment- readiness of high school grad-uates
and have agreed upon benchmarks for accountability. Such partnerships
need to be sanctioned by local school boards and the mission clearly defined.
At a minimum, partnerships should have employers assist local schools in
developing work- relevant curriculums, expose students and parents to career
information and opportunities in their local area, and provide work- based learn-ing
opportunities for students.
• N. C. employers that hire high school graduates must request high school tran-scripts
and test scores from job applicants to signal the importance of academic
achievement.
However, reforming schools will not alone solve the growing skills shortage nor
should N. C. employers expect government and education to fix the problem. N. C.
employers will have to help themselves. Therefore:
• N. C. employers will need to develop strategies to retain current workers longer
by developing employee retention programs and consider such options as offering
financial and fringe benefit incentives, flexible retirement options, flexible
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
vi
“ I think a lot of people entering the mar-ket
don't realize the value of practical
experience. They have book knowledge,
but have never applied it, so are sur-prised
when they get on the job and see
what is expected of them.” ( Services,
100- 249 employees)
“ The problems are growing, not getting
better. I strongly believe that in order to
address these issues it will take a
focused partnership of the education
system ( from kindergarten to high school,
as well as the community college system)
and the business community to provide a
different orientation towards career
development and advancement.”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
schedules, reduced workloads, shorter workweeks, job sharing and training and
education.
• N. C. employers will have to consider tapping potential labor pools that may
have gone unnoticed or underutilized before. N. C. employers will need to
actively recruit from special populations such as those who have given up on
the labor market, women, older people, the disabled and ex- offenders. In some
cases, this may require offering incentives such as family- friendly policies to
attract stay- at- home parents. In other cases it may require partnering with the
N. C. Department of Corrections to prepare inmates returning to society for
work or attracting women to nontraditional occupations such as construction. In
any case, this will require N. C. employers to think differently about the labor
market and how and where they recruit potential workers.
High school students are usually presented with an “ either/ or” option. In other
words, you can choose either to go to a postsecondary institution or go directly
into the workforce. The “ either/ or” option tends to narrow our vision when it
comes to alternate learning paths to higher education and how higher education is
defined. Going from high school directly to a two- or four- year college is not the
only route, nor is higher education strictly the domain of colleges and universities.
Agood example of both an alternate route and a different definition of higher edu-cation
is registered apprenticeship. Registered apprenticeship is a national training
program that requires at least 2,000 hours of on- the- job training and 144 hours of
related classroom instruction. Currently there are 900 apprentice- able occupations
ranging from aircraft mechanics and electricians to personnel systems managers
and soil conservation technicians. For this reason:
• N. C. high schools need to begin acting upon registered apprenticeship as an
alternate and viable path to higher education. But registered apprenticeship as
an alternate path is not possible without the support and buy- in of N. C. employ-ers.
Accordingly, not only will current apprenticeship sponsors need to make
apprentice opportunities available to high school students, more sponsors will
be needed to meet growing demand.
Registered apprenticeship is the best way for employers to ensure that workers are
trained the way they want them. Results from satisfaction surveys show that
approximately 75 percent of employers that have apprenticeship programs say that
the program is either very important or critically important relative to the company’s
goals. Results also show that apprenticeship programs reduce turnover and
improve productivity, quality workmanship, recruitment, employee problem- solving,
employee versatility and skills of employees.
In the end, solving the skills crisis is not the responsibility of a single institution
but the responsibility of all, which include schools, government, business and
even parents and students themselves. N. C. employers cannot sit idly by and wait
upon public schools to change for the better because they are not likely to change
upon their own volition. N. C. employers need to be knocking at the school house
door and ready and willing to roll- up their sleeves to go to work.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
vii
“ As Baby Boomers retire, we are going
to see a big skills gap in the workplace.
Young people have a wonderful opportu-nity
to fill that gap, but they MUST have
or obtain the necessary skills.”
( Manufacturing, 500- 999 employees)
The 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey asked N. C. employers for their opinions
about the job readiness of our state’s high school students and graduates and the
current status of North Carolina’s skills market.
The 5,800 businesses and government agencies that subscribe to the department’s
electronic bimonthly newsletter, NC Labor Ledger, received the survey. Labor
Commissioner Cherie Berry sent an e- mail asking each recipient to open the Web-based
survey using an Internet browser. Of the 5,800 recipients, 1,411 responded
for a completion rate of 24 percent. Although the recipients were not randomly
chosen, the number of respondents makes the survey results very significant. The
results are also similar to other surveys such as the National Association of
Manufacturers’ 2005 and 2001 surveys.
Who Are the Employers?
Figure 1 shows the number of employees of the survey respondents. The response
according to size was fairly balanced among small, medium and large companies
and agencies. The survey respondents by industry sector are shown in Figure 2 and
are ranked according to the number of respondents for each sector. The manufac-turing
sector represents nearly 30 percent of the total respondents, followed by
government ( 16.2 percent), services ( 14.2 percent), construction ( 12.9 percent),
health care ( 7.0 percent) and retail ( 4.3 percent).
Educational Attainment
A majority of employers said that a high school diploma is the highest level of
education required for most of their entry- level jobs ( see Figure 3). One out of five
employers said they either had no educational requirements or required less than
a high school diploma. Another 12.4 percent said that they require some education
or certification beyond a high school diploma. Only one out of 14 employers said
a four- year degree, one out of 20 said a two- year degree, and one out of 42 said a
graduate degree was required.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
1
Figure 1: Survey Respondents by Number of Employees
199
272
172
134
148
148
195
143
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0- 9 10- 24 25- 49 50- 99 100- 249 250- 499 500- 999 1,000 or more
“ Generally we seek some experience/ post
high school education and rarely hire
graduates directly from high school. I
have great concern with the high school
drop out rate. Without a HS diploma we
rarely will even consider the applica-tion.”
( Government, 500- 999 employees)
Two prior scientific studies were conducted among N. C. employers in 1989 and
1994 to determine perceptions about graduates’ preparation for the workforce and
other labor market issues. Figure 4 compares employer responses from all three
surveys. Although there was a drop between 1989 and 1994, the comparison
shows that the number of entry- level jobs requiring only a high school diploma
has gone virtually unchanged between 1989 and 2006. At the same time, the num-ber
of jobs requiring some education or certification has doubled between 1989
and 2006, while those jobs requiring less than a high school diploma have
dropped. What is surprising is that the jobs requiring either a two- year, four- year
or graduate degree have not significantly changed in the last 17 years. Overall,
nearly three out of four entry- level jobs require a high school diploma or less, and
only one out of seven require a postsecondary degree.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
2
Figure 2: Survey Respondents by Industry Type
6
14
29
61
200
99
35
41
43
42
182
229
430
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Military
Telecommunications
Agriculture
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
Transportation
Mining
Electric, Gas, Sanitary Services
Retail
Health Care
Construction
Services ( lodging, personal, pro, repair, etc.)
Government
Manufacturing
Figure 3: Educational Requirements for Entry- Level Jobs 2006
2.4%
4.8%
12.4%
12.5%
52.9%
7.2%
7.8%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Graduate Degree
2- year Degree
4- year Degree
No educational requirements
Some education/ cerfication beyond
HS Diploma
Some education but < HS Diploma
HS Diploma
“ It seems to me that technology and
medicine are fields of emphasis. This
area also has employment opportunities
in biotechnology. A focus on these are-nas
would seem to increase a person's
chance of securing an entry level job
while perhaps going to technical school
or college.” ( Health Care, 50- 99
employees)
“ We do work with our community col-lege
for training needs for out entry
level jobs. We prefer an Associates
degree but will hire someone with expe-rience
and no degree, if the experience
is relevant. We also do pre- employment
skills testing as part of our interview
schedule.” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
There are also notable differences between industries, as seen in Figure 5. Looking
at the top six industries with the highest number of survey respondents, almost one-half
of all entry- level jobs in construction require less than a high school diploma.
For the five remaining industries, a high school diploma is the largest percentage
of entry- level jobs. While some education beyond a high school diploma or a post-secondary
degree is a significant requirement in government, services and health
care sectors, it is less of a requirement in manufacturing, construction and retail. At
the same time, higher percentages of entry- level jobs in the manufacturing, con-struction
and retail sectors require less than a high school diploma, while smaller
percentages of entry- level jobs in government, services and health care do so.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
3
Figure 4: Comparsion of N. C. Employers’ Educational Requirements
for Entry- Level Jobs Between 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
52.7%
5.7%
31.8%
5.6%
2.9%
0.6%
41.3%
43.4%
6.7%
3.1%
3.0%
0.1%
52.9%
12.4%
20.3%
7.2%
4.8%
2.4%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
Graduate Degree
2- year Degree
4- year Degree
No educational requirements/ Less than HSDiploma
Some education/ certificationbeyond HSDiploma
HSDiploma
1989 1994 2006
Figure 5: Educational Requirements for Entry- level Jobs by Industry
64.2%
55.7%
42.0%
50.2%
4.8%
12.0%
7.1%
26.2%
24.6%
48.9% 46.5%
39.6%
15.3%
21.5%
25.3%
6.6%
5.8%
6.6%
29.7%
24.5%
21.2%
11.4%
4.9% 5.3%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Construction Manufacturing Retail Health Care Services ( lodging,
personal, pro, repair,
etc.)
Government
Less than HS Diploma HS Diploma Some Beyond HS Postsecondary Degree
“ More time and energy needs to be
spent developing a program to train the
service providers such as electricians,
carpenters, plumbers, heating and air
conditioning service technicians and
refrigeration contractors and service
technicians.” ( Construction, 0- 9
employees)
Nearly two- thirds of N. C. employers responding to the survey indicate they are
either unlikely or very unlikely to hire high school students and train them in job-specific
skills ( see Figure 6). Only one- fourth of the employers are likely or very
likely to hire high school students and provide them skills training. When consid-ered
by industry as shown in Figure 7, retail establishments are likelier ( likely and
very likely) than any other sector to provide high school students entry- level
employment and provide them job- specific skills training. However, a majority of
employers for all sectors except retail are unlikely ( unlikely and very unlikely)
to do so. The ability for many sectors to offer such opportunities to high school
students is governed by youth employment laws because many high school students
under age 18. Still, it is apparent that others are unwilling to do so because of other
concerns.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
4
Figure 7: Likelihood of N. C. Employers by Industry
Hiring High School Students for Entry- Level Jobs
and Providing Job- Specific Skills Training
81.0%
72.1%
62.1%
60.6%
11.9%
16.3%
18.3%
19.5%
20.3%
21.4%
22.9%
27.5%
28.0%
30.3%
32.5%
54.1%
65.5%
65.8%
67.4%
57.2%
65.7%
57.7%
56.0%
37.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%
Electric, Gas, Sanitary Services
Mining
Government
Transportation
Manufacturing
Telecommunications
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing
Construction
Health Care
Services ( lodging, personal, pro, repair, etc.)
Retail
Likely Unlikely
“ Reading and writing at an acceptable
level is a problem for some graduates. No
one should graduate from high school
without mastering basic skills. Many high
school ( students) cannot fill out a job
application and spell all the words cor-rectly.
How can we teach them job skills
when they lack the basics?” ( Manu-facturing,
500- 999 employees)
“ Majority of 17 to 21 year olds have very
poor employability skills. Most are termi-nated
before 3 months for attendance,
tardiness or poor work performance.”
( Manufacturing, 100- 249 employees)
Figure 6: Likelihood of N. C. Employers Hiring High School Students
for Entry- Level Jobs and Providing Job- Specific Skills Training
35.2%
27.3%
12.5%
6.1%
18.9%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
Very Unlikely Unlikely Not Sure Likely Very Likely
As shown in Figure 8, when asked if recent high school graduates have the neces-sary
skill level to be trained for their entry- level jobs, about two- thirds of employers
said that graduates have the necessary computer skills and reading skills. While
more employers agree graduates have the required skill level in mathematics, one-third
disagrees. Likewise, roughly one in three agreed graduates have the necessary
science skills, while one in four said they do not.
Almost two out of three employers said that recent high school graduates do not
have the necessary employability skills such as work ethic, attendance or time-liness,
and a bare majority said they don’t have the necessary written or oral
communication skills. In addition, more employers disagree than agree that
graduates have the required vocational and technical skills for their entry- level
jobs. Employers in the construction, manufacturing, and electric, gas and sanitary
services are likelier to disagree than other industry sectors that graduates have the
required vocational and technical skills.
A comparison of the 2006 results with the results from the 1989 and 1994 busi-ness
and industry surveys shows that employer opinions on the reading, math and
computer skills among high school graduates have improved, as indicated in
Figure 9. On the other hand, Figure 10 shows that communications skills appear
to have stagnated. While oral and written communications were separate values in
the 1989 and 1994 surveys, only one- third agreed in all three surveys that oral and
written skills were adequate. At the same time, employability skills seem to have
worsened. While a direct comparison cannot be made, nearly one- third of the
employers ( 31.6 percent) in 1994 indicated that graduates had the work ethic and
four out of 10 ( 41.7 percent) said they had the personal qualities for their entry-level
jobs. In 2006, only 16.6 percent of employers said they had the necessary
employability skills that include work ethic and personal qualities such as attitude,
appearance, commitment and punctuality.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
5
Figure 8: N. C. Employers’ Agreement/ Disagreement Whether High
School Graduates Have Necessary Skill Levels for Entry- Level Jobs
16.6%
32.0%
32.2%
36.7%
46.8%
63.0%
65.1%
64.8%
37.7%
51.0%
26.5%
33.4%
22.3%
14.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Employability Skills
Vocational/ Technical Skills
Communication Skills
Science
Mathematics
Reading
Computer Skills
Agreed Disagreed
“ We have a great need for workers in
the construction industry who have
above average computer, communica-tion,
problem identification & resolution
skills, ability to make sound decisions,
organizational skills, and the desire to
work daily. There are so many mechani-cally
oriented students who could learn
these skills in the high school setting.”
( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
One- half of employers gave high schools a C for their ability to prepare young
people for their entry- level jobs while a quarter either gave the schools an F or
D, or A or B ( see Figure 11). This assessment is in line with employers’ opinions
on the skill- level question above. While more employers agree than disagree that
schools are doing an adequate job on academic skills ( reading, math and science),
more disagree than agree when it comes to employability, communication and
vocational skills. This may actually be some improvement over employers’
assessment in the 1989 and 1994 business and industry surveys. Among employ-ers,
only 29 percent in the 1989 survey and 24.1 percent in the 1994 survey were
satisfied with the preparation of N. C. high school students for the workforce,
while a majority of employers were dissatisfied ( 52.7 percent and 55 percent,
respectively).
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
6
Figure 10: Comparison of N. C. Employers’ Agreement That
High School Graduates Have Necessary Communication Skills
From 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
33.3%
31.2%
32.2%
35.3%
30.6%
28.0%
29.0%
30.0%
31.0%
32.0%
33.0%
34.0%
35.0%
36.0%
1989 1994 2006
Communication Skills Writing
“ I have really been surprised the
amount of applicants who apply for jobs
that can't either read, write or figure
simple math.” ( Government, 25- 49
employees)
“ If you want to go to college, the
schools are making the effort to prepare
students for this. If you are looking at
the graduates prepared for the job mar-ket,
then they fail!” ( Government, 25- 49
employees)
Figure 9: Comparison of N. C. Employers’ Agreement That
High School Graduates Have Necessary Reading, Math and Computer
Skills From 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
53.9%
63.0%
23.7% 24.2%
43.0%
65.1%
56.7%
46.8%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
1989 1994 2006
Reading Mathematics Computer Skills
Employers were also asked if they participated with local schools in a number of
activities. As Figure 12 indicates, most employers said they participate in job fairs
or career days at schools. Moreover, employers are likelier to provide part- time
jobs to students, organize special programs or events, contribute space or equip-ment,
and allow employees to mentor students. They are less likely to provide
teachers summer internships, work with schools to develop or incorporate indus-try
standards into curriculums, provide apprenticeships to students, and loan com-pany
personnel. However, one- third of employers ( 34 percent) indicate they do
not participate in any activities with local schools.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
7
Figure 12: Employer Involvement With N. C. High Schools
5.7%
10.1%
11.8%
21.1%
21.5%
25.7%
31.7%
40.2%
9.3%
9.6%
12.5%
34.2%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0%
Summer Internship for Teacher
Develop Curriculum
Other
Youth Apprenticeship
Incorporate Industry Standards in
Curriculum
Loaned Company Personnel
Employee Mentors
Contributed Space/ Equipment
Organized Special Programs
Part- time Jobs
Do Not Participate
Job Fairs
“ Graduates are slovenly, non commu-nicative,
dress poorly, have attendance
problems, and generally have an attitude
of entitlement.” ( Health Care, 250- 499
employees)
Figure 11: N. C. High Schools’ Grade on Job Preparedness
4.7%
21.0%
22.4%
2.3%
49.6%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
F
D
C
B
A
Comments
A total of 498 employers made comments to an open- ended question regarding
North Carolina high schools and their graduates. Almost without exception, the
written comments are negative, many attributing blame for unprepared graduates
to schools and teachers, but also parents and society in general.
Employers were very expressive regarding their dissatisfaction with graduates’
employability skills. More often, employers describe recent graduates as imma-ture,
disrespectful, irresponsible and unethical. They claim that recent graduates
are lazy and lack any discipline, dependability, motivation to work or desire to
succeed. Employers said that most recent graduates do not want to work outside
or do manual labor, and perceive a job and paycheck as an entitlement. Personal
appearance, appropriate or professional dress, and hygiene among high school
graduates are also problems encountered by employers.
Communication skills are another problem mentioned frequently. Some employ-ers
complained that high school graduates lack the ability to adequately fill out a
job application or to handle themselves in an interview.
Moreover, while academic skills may have improved for many recent graduates, it
has not improved for all graduates. Some employers bemoaned the lack of adequate
reading and math skills or the ability to apply those skills in practical settings.
Many employers said that the problem with graduates is that high schools are too
focused on preparing students for college while little, if any, attention is given to
those students heading directly to the job market. Some blame the lack of guid-ance
counseling for non- college bound students, while others said that there is a
need to encourage students to work part- time or during the summer to gain work
experience. Additionally, some employers do not think students are being exposed
to opportunities in skilled trades where many jobs are high- paying and offer
advancement opportunities. Most decry the deterioration of vocational training in
high schools and said educators are out of touch with economic realities.
Some employers also complain that high schools are too focused on teaching stu-dents
to take tests rather than learning the basics or how to solve problems.
Another issue for employers is an indifferent attitude on the part of some educa-tors.
While some employers complain that attempts to contact educators go
unheeded, others complain that educators ignore them.
For some employers, community colleges are perceived as finishing the job left
incomplete by the high schools and equate an associate degree with what a high
school diploma should mean.
However, a few employers do not lay blame upon educators. Some employers
point the finger at society, parenting and our culture. Others indicate that teachers
spent more time controlling classes than teaching, and high schools are no longer
safe places, but plagued by drugs and violence.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
8
“ If you want to go to college, the schools
are making the effort to prepare students
for this. If you are looking at the gradu-ates
prepared for the job market, then
they fail!” ( Government, 50- 99 employ-ees)
“ Most are computer/ technologically
savvy. Lacking in many is the ability to
communicate ... both orally and written.
Many are unable to use the English lan-guage
properly ... that is, use correct
verb tense, etc. Unfortunately, work
ethic overall seems poor, and as a result
attendance, punctuality, business acumen
( including judgment and maturity) suf-fers.
Now this is not inherent in EVERY
student I've encountered, but unfortu-nately,
this has been my overall impres-sion.”
( Health Care, 1,000 or more
employees)
“( The high schools) make the assump-tion
that all students should go to col-lege;
As a consequence, the business
community takes on the responsibility of
training new workers in the most basic
of work skills to include getting to work
on time.” ( Manufacturing, 0- 9 employees)
Problems Finding Qualified Job Applicants
As shown in Figure 13, four out of 10 N. C. employers said that finding qualified
job applicants is “ somewhat of a problem,” while more than one- third said it is
either a “ difficult problem” or a “ severe problem.” Only two out of 10 N. C.
employers said it is either “ no problem” or a “ minor problem.” Finding qualified
applicants seems to be a recurring problem for N. C. employers. In the 1989 busi-ness
and industry survey, more than one- half of the employers ( 54.4 percent)
either said they “ always” or “ frequently” have problems finding qualified appli-cants.
Employers in the 1994 survey were asked if they had difficulties finding
qualified applicants for various types of jobs. When combining those who indicated
“ always” or “ frequently,” the largest dissatisfaction ( 40.9 percent) was with find-ing
qualified applicants for service jobs. Technical and production jobs were 39.9
percent and 37.9 percent, respectively.
As indicated in Figure 14, employers overwhelmingly said they find the fewest qual-ified
applicants for their skilled/ technical jobs. When they were asked if the problem
finding qualified applicants will get better or worse in the next three years, a major-ity
( 56.6 percent) said it would get “ worse” or “ much worse.” Only one out of 10
are optimistic that it would get “ better” or “ much better.” ( see Figure 15)
Hiring Decisions
Despite employers’ dissatisfaction with the employability skills of recent high
school graduates, most indicate their preferred minimum age for hiring entry- level
employees is 18- or 19- years- old, as shown in Figure 16. Tellingly, the percentage
of employers who said the minimum hiring age is 18 to 19 ( 52.6 percent) is very
close to the percentage ( 52.9 percent) who said only a high school diploma was
required for most of their entry- level jobs.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
9
“ Please stop teaching high school stu-dents
that manufacturing jobs are a
‘ thing of the past.’” ( Manufacturing,
100- 249 employees)
Figure 13: Problem Finding Qualified Job Applicants
7.5%
41.6%
26.4%
10.5%
14.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
Not a problem Minor problem Somewhat of a problem Difficult problem Severe problem
“ Trainable unskilled workers are
becoming increasingly harder to find.
Our entry- level positions do not require
prior experience but the individuals must
be trainable.” ( Health Care, 250- 499
employees)
“ I contacted the two high schools in my
county the week after school was out and
left a message for the teacher or coun-selor
assigned to non- college bound or
vocational students. We had to entry
level positions we needed to fill. The
person answering the phone said the
person I needed to speak with was still
working— but I NEVER HEARD BACK
FROM EITHER OF THEM. IF THEY
DO NOT CARE ABOUT THESE STU-DENTS
OR LOCAL EMPLOYERS,
WHO WILL?” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
Figure 17 reveals that two out of three N. C. employers said the most common rea-son
for rejecting a job applicant is inadequate employability skills ( work ethic,
attendance, timeliness, etc.), followed by insufficient work experience, lack of
job- specific skills, inadequate communication skills and poor or no references
from a previous employer. Academic skills such as reading and math, along with
computer skills, ranked at the bottom.
When asked about the importance of certain skills and other factors in making hir-ing
decisions, an applicant’s attitude ranks first among employers, followed by an
applicant’s communication skills, appearance, if the applicant has previous work
experience and a recommendation from a prior employer. Academic performance
or grades and the reputation of an applicant’s school rank at the bottom.
Surprisingly, vocational/ technical credentials rank near the bottom as well ( see
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
10
“ As with the rest of the country, North
Carolina has a vast shortage of skilled
workers.” ( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 15: Skills Shortage Will Get Better or Worse?
10.3%
46.3%
2.1%
7.9%
33.3%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
Much Worse Worse Not Sure Better Much Better
“ We need to go back to teaching job
skills and STOP TEACHING THE
EOG/ EOC TEST. The testing has gone
too far. Go back to teaching basics and
perhaps when these kids graduate they
can read a tape measure or have work
skills! When the kids get out on their
own, the majority seems lost— bosses
aren't going to keep giving you a chance
to ‘ pass’ the task at hand. I've been in
the workforce for 25 years and am dis-turbed
by the decreasing number of
students that are prepared to enter the
workforce upon leaving high school.”
( Services, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 14: Types of Jobs Experiencing a
Short Supply of Qualified Applicants
6.0%
13.4%
13.6%
13.6%
63.7%
19.4%
7.4%
5.3%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Other
None
Sales and Marketing
Administrative Support
Customer Service
Management
Unskilled
Skilled/ Technical
Figure 18). In the 1994 business and industry survey, N. C. employers were asked
if they relied on high school records or interviews when hiring prospective appli-cants.
Only 12.4 percent indicated they gave “ a great deal” of attention to high
school records, while 84.9 percent said that the interview was the deciding factor
for hiring.
In meeting their needs for qualified workers, N. C. employers are likelier to hire peo-ple
with fewer skills than required for the job and then train them ( see Figure 19).
Most also recruit locally, while almost one in four said they either recruit from their
competitors or have to recruit from other states for qualified workers. One in five
employers indicate they offer hiring incentives, such as free health insurance, dis-ability
insurance and a 401( K) retirement match to meet their needs. Employers are
less likely to recruit or outsource jobs to other countries and offer incentives to retain
older workers. Only one in 20 said they had no problem hiring qualified workers.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
11
“ Something MUST be done or we will
have no work force in the future! I have
been a Human Resource Director for 28
years and in my tenure, have never seen
the work force so deficit in basic needs
such as professionalism, dress code, atti-tude,
lack of interviewing skills, etc.”
( Services, 25- 49 employees)
“ Most if not all students or those who
have just graduated do not know how to
fill out an application, how to dress or
how to speak properly. Our policy is that
you must be 19 years of age or old to
apply.” ( Retail, 25- 49 employees)
Figure 17: Reasons for Rejecting Job Applicants
10.5%
41.0%
41.6%
61.5%
36.1%
17.5%
13.1%
16.3%
21.5%
27.4%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Inadequate computer skills
Other
Inadequate math skills
Inadequate reading skills
Inadequate problem- solving skills
Poor/ no references
Inadequate communication skills
Lack job- specific skills
Insufficient work experience
Inadequate employability skills
“ Would like to see more training in
resume preparation, interview skills,
work ethics, professional appearance
requirements when interviewing, polite-ness
and manners when interviewing as
well as working with others as team
players.” ( Services, 25- 49 employees)
Figure 16: Preferred Hiring Age for Entry- Level Positions
1.9%
52.6%
22.6%
22.9%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
14- 17
18- 19
20- 21
22 or older
As indicated in Figure 20, most N. C. employers are very likely or likely to hire
veterans, women, recent high school graduates, and people 55 and older. A major-ity
of employers are also very likely or likely to hire welfare recipients. Most
employers are either unlikely or not sure about hiring the disabled and former
prison inmates.
Training
Amajority of N. C. employers ( 53.9 percent) said they are spending “ more” on train-ing
employees, while about one- third said “ about the same” and only 3.5 percent
indicate they are spending “ less” as shown in Figure 21. Figure 22 reveals that
employers also devote most of their training dollars to providing their employees
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
12
Figure 19: How Empoyers Meet Their Need for Qualified Workers
3.2%
3.2%
12.9%
51.2%
23.8%
23.2%
5.8%
7.4%
8.0%
18.7%
61.0%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Recruited in foreign countries
Outsourced jobs to other
countries
No problem hiring qualified
workers
Offered incentives to older
workers to remain
Other
Replaced people with technology
Offered hiring incentives
Recuited in other states
Recruited from competitors
Recruited locally
Hired people with less skills and
trained them
“ N. C. like many other states needs to
work on improvements to our school sys-tem
in an effort to prepare our youth for
the working world. Technical and soft
skills are as important as their SAT
scores— if they even took the SAT. We
have to get back to preparing our chil-dren
in the same manner that other gen-erations
were prepared to work hard, be
responsible, be respectful and learn—
and never stop.” ( Government, 100- 249
employees)
“ Under normal circumstances we only
hire those with experience in the avail-able
position. We are a small company
unable to provide the extensive on- the-job
training required for our entry- level
positions.” ( Health Care, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 18: Factors Very Important in Hiring Decision
2.1%
4.7%
69.9%
44.4%
32.9%
15.2%
16.7%
24.9%
37.2%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%
Reputation of School
Academic Performance ( Grades)
Vocational/ Technical Credentials
Years of Completed Schooling
Recommendation/ Previous
Employer
Previous Work Experience
Appearance
Communications Skills
Attitude
technical skills and basic skills and considerably less for managerial development
and sales. Moreover, about four out of 10 employers said that 80 percent to 100
percent of their employees receive formal training each year ( see Figure 23).
Comments
Employers were asked to respond to an open- ended question regarding their opin-ions
on the N. C. skills market. A total of 251 employers made comments. A num-ber
of employers describe the N. C. skills market in negative terms such as “ pre-historic,”
“ dismal,” “ poor,” “ deteriorating,” “ very weak,” “ limited,” “ inadequate,”
or “ losing ground,” while only one gave a positive comment.
Some employers complain there is not even enough unskilled labor that is “ train-able”
to fulfill their needs. Either they have poor skills ( e. g., communications,
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
13
Figure 21: Spend More/ Less Training Employees Since 3 Years Ago
53.9%
36.1%
3.5%
6.5%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
More About the same Less Don't know
“ Skilled labor force is going down hill.”
( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
“ Prehistoric.” ( Finance, Insurance, Real
Estate, 10- 24 employees)
“ What Skills Market?” ( Manufacturing,
25- 49 employees; Construction, 50- 99
employees)
“ Extreme shortage, period.”
( Construction, 1,000 or more employees)
“ NORTH CAROLINA’S skill market is
relatively low compared to other states.”
( Government, 250- 499 employees)
“ North Carolina skills market is in need
of help! ... THE HELP IS NEEDED
NOW!” ( Military, 1,000 or more
employees)
“ Driving industry away!” ( Mining, 25-
49 employees)
“ Dismal compared to other states.”
( Telecommunications 1,000 or more
employees)
Figure 20: Very Likely or Likely to Hire for Entry- Level
Jobs Requiring On- the- Job Training
81.7%
14.5%
39.1%
51.4%
61.0%
64.5%
78.8%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%
Former Prison Inmates
Disabled People
Welfare Recipients
People 55 or Older
Recent High School Graduates
Women
Veterans
employability), are immigrants who have trouble speaking English, or have a sub-stance
abuse problem. At least one employer commented that poorly skilled work-ers
are a health and safety concern in the workplace.
Other employers complain about workers showing up for work intoxicated or on
drugs. One employer said they hire unqualified people due to the lack of qualified
applicants who can pass a drug test. N. C. employers further complain there are
applicants who prefer to draw unemployment and stay at home or go to school
even when offered high paying jobs. Another employer said they have employees
who quit only to draw a check from social services.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
14
“ Very worried regarding the future, if
there is a future, for our manufacturing
companies. If we can’t hire trainable
people or those that can speak English,
we are going to run out of jobs and com-panies.”
( Manufacturing, 100- 249
employees)
“ Drugs, the silent killer of our future. Six
out of ten cannot pass the drug screens.
Two out of ten that are hired have used an
addictive to pass the screens, only to face
termination when a random test occurs.”
( Construction, 250- 499 employees)
Figure 23: Percent of Employees
Receiving Formal Training Annually
11.6% 11.9%
6.9%
10.3%
7.2%
12.7%
39.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
80- 100% 60- 79% 40- 59% 20- 39% 10- 19% Less than 10% Don't know
Figure 22: Receives Largest Allocation of Training Budget
2.5%
26.4%
41.1%
8.5%
12.4%
9.0%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0%
Sales
Supervisory Skills
Leadership Development
Don't Know
Basic Skills
Technical Skills
“ Community Colleges, like ours, are pick-ing
up the slack by taking uneducated
HS students and preparing them for the
workforce.” ( Government, 250- 499
employees)
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
15
Electricians and electrical engineers
Electrical linemen
Carpenters
Plumbers and pipe fitters
Brick masons
Heating and air conditioning service technicians
Refrigeration service technicians
Painters
Heavy equipment operators
Welders
Iron workers and riggers
Auto and truck service technicians
Law enforcement
Firefighters
Allied health positions
Nurses ( RN) and nursing assistants
Dental radiologists
Biotechnology
Paramedics
Physical therapists
Boat builders
Webmasters
Plastic process technicians
Printing industry
Computer numerical control machine operators
Maintenance mechanics
Millwrights
Heavy equipment diesel mechanics
Knitters
The occupations employers said they were experiencing a shortage of skilled labor
included:
“ We are running out of technically savvy
people, and that’s just a shame.”
( Services, 50- 99 employees)
Skills Shortage: A Chronic N. C. Problem
Most N. C. employers are experiencing a shortage of qualified job applicants and
more than one- third tell us it is either a difficult or severe problem. It is especial-ly
acute with job applicants for skilled/ technical jobs. N. C. employers are pes-simistic
regarding the future, believing the skills shortage will get worse. If you
consider the results of employer surveys going back to 1989, their pessimism may
be because a skills shortage appears to be a chronic problem in North Carolina.
These findings are nothing new. There are plenty of other studies that corroborate
the results reported here. For example, a 2005 survey by the National Association
of Manufacturers found that 81 percent of its members report a moderate to severe
skills shortage and the biggest shortage is for technically skilled employees.
Comparatively, 85 percent of N. C. manufacturers in the N. C. Skills Market
Survey said they were experiencing a skills shortage to some degree with appli-cants
for skilled/ technical jobs the more significant problem. Manufacturers are
not alone in their concern. About three out of four hospital CEOs say they are fac-ing
significant shortages of registered nurses and radiology technicians, one- half
need more pharmacists, one- third say laboratory technicians are needed, and one-quarter
of CEOs require more outpatient therapists and licensed practical nurses. 1
Similarly, construction employed 6.7 million in 2001, and by 2010 the industry
will need an additional 1.5 million workers just to maintain productivity. The
skills shortage is not limited to American shores. Manpower Professional’s recent
international survey of 32,000 companies in 26 countries found that 45 percent of
its respondents said they were experiencing difficulty finding workers, especially
in fields that require training credentials and experience. However, the survey
reports that American companies are feeling the effects of the shortage more
acutely than other countries. 2
The economic consequences of a skills shortage can be costly. A skills shortage
stiffens competition for the few qualified workers available and drives up wages.
Companies will have to invest more in education and job training programs to pre-pare
less qualified workers for skilled jobs. A greater investment in wages, educa-tion
and training reduces profits and dividends for stockholders. In turn, small
employers that cannot compete with the resources of larger companies may go out
of business. In some cases, corporate survival may mean more outsourcing of jobs
to countries that can provide skilled labor at cheaper wage rates. Moreover, fewer
skilled workers could seriously impede product and service quality, sales, innova-tion,
and productivity. All of this means slower economic growth, which in turn
means slower growth in state and federal government tax revenues. For the
American economy, a skills shortage could fuel inflation, reduce our standard of
living, and degrade our competitive position with other countries.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
16
______________
1. “ The Future of Health Care: An Outlook from the Perspective of Hospital CEOs.” Deloitte &
Touche L. L. P’s ninth biennial survey, ( 2002).
2. Gina Ruiz, “ Skilled- Worker Shortage Fuels Wage Inflation,” Workforce Management, 85,
( 2006): 10.
“ We are finding that there are not
enough employees to go around. ... In
Western North Carolina— everyone is
screaming that we need industry��� We're
a small industry who needs workers! I
have had an entry level position listed at
the ESC for almost 3 weeks and have
received one application!!!???!!!”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
Some Good News but Much Room for Improvement
The 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey does provide some good news regarding the
proficiency of high school graduates in most academic subjects. Nearly two- thirds
of employers said that graduates have the necessary reading and computer skills. In
addition, more employers agree than disagree regarding graduates’ competency in
math and science. In comparison with previous surveys in 1989 and 1994, N. C.
employers seem to indicate there has been an improvement in the academic skills of
high school graduates. However, one- fourth to one- third of employers is still dissat-isfied
with the reading, science and math skills of graduates. The failure of high
schools to adequately educate all students in basic academic skills means that
employers ( as well as colleges and universities) have to invest in remedial education
just to prepare them for job- specific training. A study of remedial education in the
state of Michigan estimates that it costs Michigan businesses an average of $ 13.78
per employee for a total of $ 40 million a year to teach its workers basic skills. 3
As an overall evaluation, most employers give N. C. high schools a letter grade of C
on their ability to prepare young people for the workforce. This might be an
improvement in employers’ earlier evaluations ( 1989 and 1994) where most were
dissatisfied with the preparation of high school graduates for entry- level jobs.
Dissatisfaction with the preparation of students might have indicated a barely pass-ing
or failing grade. Yet it remains that three out of four employers give N. C. high
school schools a grade of C, D or F. In other words, approximately 75 percent of
N. C. employers tell us high schools are middling at best in workforce preparation.
Very similar results were found in a 2000 study of U. S. workers’ attitudes about
work. A majority of workers gave high schools a grade of C ( 40 percent), D ( 10
percent) and F ( 6 percent) when asked how well high schools prepare graduates
with the skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in the workplace. 4 Another study
found that among public high school graduates going into the workforce, 39 per-cent
said there were gaps in their preparation for what is expected in their current
employment, and 46 percent said there were gaps in the skills and abilities of jobs
they hoped to get in the future. 5 The same study found that employers estimated
39 percent of recent high school graduates are unprepared for entry- level jobs,
which is exactly the same percentage of non- college bound graduates who said
they had gaps in their preparation. Moreover, 45 percent of employers said high
school graduates did not have the skills and abilities to advance. 6 N. C. employers
are deserving of a higher standard than what a letter grade of C implies. Creating
a workforce that can enable businesses to compete in global markets will require
high schools to earn a higher grade from employers.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
17
______________
3. Jay P. Green, “ The Cost of Remedial Education: How Much Michigan Pays When Students
Fail to Learn Basic Skills,” Jay P. Mackinac Center for Public Policy, ( 2000): 7.
4. “ Making the Grade: What American Workers Think Should be Done to Improve Education,”
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers and The Center for Survey Research
and Analysis at the University of Connecticut, ( 2000): 9.
5. “ Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work?”
Achieve, Inc., ( 2005): 3.
6. Ibid., 6.
“ They need to be able to read and write
and have basic math skills. Many I inter-view
have no understanding of decimals
or fractions. Most cannot read a tape
measure. Many cannot fill out our appli-cation
because they cannot read. If they
cannot read and write I cannot be sure
they understand our safety training and
this would put them and us at a terrible
risk of injury or even death. Safety is the
key to a good worker. If you have some-one
that is able and willing to work safely
you can train them to do almost anything.”
( Manufacturing, 50- 99 employees)
What N. C. Employers May Really Want: Work Experience and Soft Skills
While N. C. employers’ assessment of recent high school graduates’ academic
skills may have improved from previous assessments in 1989 and 1994, they are
clearly dissatisfied with the employability, communication and job- specific skills
of high school graduates. Two- thirds of employers said that recent graduates do
not have the necessary employability skills, including traits such as work ethic,
attendance and punctuality. Most employers are also unhappy with the oral and
written communication skills of graduates, while a greater percentage is dis-pleased
than pleased with their training in job- specific skills. ( In particular,
Employers’ written comments suggest what they mean by better communication
skills is that recent high school graduates need to improve their interviewing skills
and they want them to speak properly and to complete job applications.)
When it comes to reasons for rejecting job applicants, employers are most likely
to do so because of inadequate employability skills, insufficient work experience,
a lack of job- specific skills, poor communication skills, and no prior recommen-dations.
When making hiring decisions, employers are more interested in an appli-cant’s
attitude, appearance and how well the person communicates. They also like
to see prior work experience and a recommendation from a previous employer.
Academic skills, grades, computer skills and even vocational credentials are least
important in the hiring decision. An earlier survey by the National Association of
Manufacturers in 2001 found similar results, with inadequate employability skills
and insufficient work experience the top two reasons for rejecting applicants.
Similarly, attitude, communication skills, previous work experience and a recom-mendation
from a current employer were manufacturers’ top four most important
factors when hiring a new employee.
These results clearly indicate that N. C. employers primarily value work experi-ence
and employability skills ( e. g., work ethic, attendance, timeliness). Job appli-cants
with prior work experience are more likely to have developed the attitudinal
qualities, soft skills and behaviors that employers say they want to see in people
applying for their entry- level jobs.
Although employers reject applicants because they lack job- specific skills, they also
said vocational and technical credentials are not a high priority in the hiring deci-sion.
At the same time, six out of 10 employers said they are willing to hire people
with less skills and give them job- specific training. Moreover, employers tell us they
are spending more money on training than they did three years ago and devote most
of their training dollars to teaching basic and technical skills to employees. 7 While
employers would undoubtedly prefer to hire applicants who have good academic,
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
18
______________
7. The 2005 Skills Gap Report— A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce showed
almost identical results on this question. While 50 percent of the respondents to the 2005 survey of
the National Manufacturing Association ( NAM) said that they spend more on training than they did
3 years ago, 53.9 percent claimed they were spending more in the N. C. Department of Labor
( NCDOL) study. Similarly, 44 percent of the NAM respondents said they were spending about the
same while 36.1 percent of the NCDOL respondents gave the same response.
“ New students do not know how to set
and achieve goals. They are surprised
when there are consequences for missing
deadlines/ falling short of expected levels
of performance. They act as if they
expect the targets to be lowered if they
are hard to achieve. They are weak in
technical reading and comprehension
( charts, diagrams, graphs, etc.) They
have problems working with time on a
60 minute basis as they appear to be
used to a decimal- based system. Their
skills with practical applications of math
are very low. They can perform addition,
subtraction, division and multiplication,
but they cannot apply this knowledge to
problem solving.” ( Manufacturing, 250-
499 employees)
job- specific and employability skills, these findings suggest they are willing to
hire people with no vocational training and even inadequate academic skills as
long as they have developed good employability skills. This being said, it still
does not excuse N. C. high schools from their responsibility to empower every
graduate with the necessary foundation of academic skills to successfully master
the job- specific requirements of employers.
Traditionally, many high school students develop employability skills by working
part- time jobs after school, on weekends and during summer months. In point of
fact, there is good evidence that teenage employment has many beneficial results.
A10- year longitudinal study of 14- and 15- year- olds examining the effects of part-time
employment concluded that students who work even as much as half time
have more advantages than those students who do not work during high school.
The study showed there were no trade- offs between paid work and other youth
activities, such as homework, family work, volunteering, and extracurricular
activities. The study also concluded that part- time employment promotes voca-tional
exploration, develops confidence, work values and time management skills,
and does not interfere with school performance. According to the study, “... paid
work can have marked advantages for adolescents, particularly when it is pursued
steadily, and characterized by learning opportunities. Steady employment fosters
postsecondary educational attainment, and this effect appears to be particularly
strong for adolescents who have relatively low educational promise upon entry to
high school. Adolescents who reported learning opportunities in their high school
jobs were further along in their career trajectories seven years after high school
than those whose early jobs provided fewer challenges and chances to use their
skills and abilities. All told, teenage work, especially if pursued consistently and
moderately, appears to confer advantages in the early socioeconomic career.” 8
Yet a declining number of North Carolina’s high school students are benefiting
from the effects of part- time employment. Figure 24 reveals that the number of
Youth Employment Certificates being issued to the state’s population of 16- and
17- year- olds has dropped appreciatively from 52 percent in 1995 to 28 percent in
2004— nearly a 50 percent drop. Just looking at the total number of certificates
issued in 1995 compared to 2004 shows a drop of about one- third. This trend is
not isolated to North Carolina. Nationally, teenage employment in 2006 is the low-est
since statistics were first taken in 1949. Moreover, there is a large disparity
between white, black and Hispanic teenagers. 9 If the number of N. C. high school
students getting a certificate is dropping, then this can only indicate there is a cor-responding
drop in the number of students receiving work- based learning experi-ences
such as job shadowing, co- op education and internships. This may also
explain why there has been a decline in employers’ assessment of the employabil-ity
skills for high school graduates since 1989.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
19
______________
8. J. T. Mortimer, Working and Growing Up in America ( Cambridge: Harvard University Press,
2003), 205.
9. Paul E. Barton, “ High School Reform and Work: Facing Labor Market Realities,” ( Education
Testing Service, 2006), 27.
“ We allow High School students in
Allied Health program to do rotations in
departments of interest in addition to the
Special Education Program where we
work with kids in shadowing in some
non- clinical entry- level jobs where they
can see expectations of the work force.
Allowing this type interaction outside of
a classroom is really the only way the
students get a real picture of workplace
expectations.” ( Health Care, 1,000 or
more employees)
“ We need to be putting a higher priority
on skilled workers in our high schools
before we run out.” ( Construction, 250-
499 employees)
Public Education Needs to Reconnect with Economic Reality
Employers complain that N. C. high schools almost exclusively focus on higher
education at the expense of those students who will enter the workforce upon
graduation. As a result, too many graduates are planning to enter postsecondary
education after high school graduation. Yet a significant percentage of college-bound
high school graduates never complete either a two- or four- year college
degree. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education reports that
58 percent of first- time, full- time students complete a four- year degree within six
years of entering a N. C. public or private institution that offers a bachelor diplo-ma.
This means that 42 percent of those entering did not complete within six years
of entering a four- year college program. 10 While the National Center for Public
Policy and Higher Education does not report a completion rate for associate
degrees, it does show that only 48 percent of first- year N. C. community college
students return their second year. 11 The economic benefits of people with some
college compared to those who are only high school graduates are negligible.
Furthermore, research shows that 40 percent of those who have received a four-year
degree are employed in jobs that do not require a college degree. 12
These statistics signal a major “ disconnect” between the messages students
receive and economic realities. Most entry- level jobs, according to the employers
in this survey, only require a high school diploma or less. The N. C. Workforce
Development Commission’s recent report assessing the state’s demand and supply
for labor supports that claim. As shown in Figure 25, approximately three out of
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
20
Figure 24: Number and Percent of All N. C. 16- and 17- Year- Olds
Issued Youth Employment Certificates
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
Total 16- 17 191,096 196,798 200,350 202,536 206,402 206,450 211,180 217,613 221,275 227,130
Issued YECs 99,361 92,630 91,135 96,134 91,384 88,967 71,002 62,216 58,304 63,978
Percent 52% 47% 46% 47% 44% 43% 34% 29% 26% 28%
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
______________
10. “ Measuring Up 2006: The State Report Card on Higher Education— North Carolina,” The
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 10.
11. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education reports that the percent of fresh-man
at four- year N. C. institutions returning their sophomore year is 80 percent.
12. Barton, 19.
“ The school systems make the assump-tion
that all students should go to col-lege.
The reality is that many are best
suited for vocational jobs, which they
are not prepared for by the schools. As a
consequence, the business community
takes on the responsibility of training
new workers in the most basic of work
skills to include getting to work on
time.” ( Manufacturing, 0- 9 employees)
four N. C. jobs currently require a high school diploma or less. That ratio is not
expected to change much in the next 10- years. In contrast, only one in four jobs
now and in the future will require a postsecondary degree or some postsecondary
education. 13 As a consequence, high schools will remain the largest supplier of
workers for our state’s employers and the more significant educational institution
in preparing young people for work.
Because of its importance to the state’s economy, N. C. high schools need to take
more seriously the workforce needs and requirements of our state’s employers.
Preparing students for college should not be its exclusive focus. The declining
number of N. C. high school juniors and seniors getting employment experience is
good evidence that the state’s public education system does not take workforce
preparation as seriously as it should. While there has been some improvement in
the academic skills of high school graduates, only reading saw a majority of
employers agreeing graduates had the necessary skills. Less than a majority of
N. C. employers gave the mathematics, science and communication skills of grad-uates
the same assessment. As a consequence, every high school graduate needs
to be job- ready, which means that N. C. high schools need to continue improv-ing
the basic academic skills of all graduates so that they have an adequate
foundation in which to be trained in job specific skills.
However, not everything can be learned in the classroom; work experience is still
the best method for learning the values, skills and behaviors that employers expect
from job applicants. N. C. high schools must reverse the trend of fewer high
school students receiving the beneficial effects of work experience by reviving
cooperative education and expanding other work- based learning opportunities
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
21
160,572 197,132
687,536
822,344
386,614
476,066
2,065,266
2,212,331
1,732,747
2,009,345
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
Advanced Degree 4- Year Degree 2- Year Degree/ Some
Post
HS Diploma/ GED Less than HS Diploma
Figure 25: Total N. C. Employment by Educational Requirements for
Estimated Employment in 2007 and Projected Employment in 2017
Total Emp 2007 Total Emp 2017
( 35.2%)
( 34.4%)
( 38.7%)
( 41.0%)
( 8.3%)
( 7.7%)
( 14.4%)
( 13.7%)
( 3.2%) ( 3.4%)
______________
13. “ North Carolina State of the Workforce: An Assessment of the State’s Labor Force Demand
and Supply,” The North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development, ( 2007).
“ Our company has made numerous
attempts to work with our local school
district, both to create internship oppor-tunities
as well as to enhance current
industry focused curriculum develop-ment,
work ethic training and orienta-tion,
exposure to career options/ opportu-nities,
etc. and have really received little
or no response from the school district.
We are making these overtures because
of the lack that we see in area workforce
development. I strongly encourage the
state to increase this focus, making it a
priority for school systems ( especially in
districts where the majority of high
school graduates do not go on to higher
education) to work with local industry
with the goal of improving these skills.
Although we need to ensure that our stu-dents
have obtained the basic skills as
tested by the EOGs, we also have a
responsibility to ensure that they are
‘ employable’ and will succeed in the
workforce.” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
such as internships, registered apprenticeship and even entrepreneurial oppor-tunities.
Since many N. C. high school students may not get the opportunity of a
work- based experience, community service hours would be another means by which
high school students can develop the “ soft skills” important to employers and adult-hood.
Moreover, middle schools and high schools need to help students begin
thinking about their future occupational goals by exposing them to different
occupations through means such as field trips and job shadowing. Parents, who
for the most part have one vision for career and financial success which is the
attainment of a four- year degree, also need to be exposed to career information
and opportunities to help their children make good career choices.
Another way to help young people learn the soft skills and gain greater exposure
to career opportunities and job- specific training is by tapping a source of knowl-edge
and experience that will be leaving the workforce over the next couple of
decades. Our state’s retiring baby boomers with knowledge and experience in
skilled trades should be enlisted into a volunteer community service organi-zation
like Volunteers in Service to America ( VISTA) to work with schools to
mentor and coach students and teachers.
N. C. Employers Need to Be Part of the Solution
One way in which middle and high school students and their parents can get more
exposure to these opportunities is through more employer involvement inside
local schools. One in three N. C. employers said they do not participate in any
activities with high schools. Furthermore, only four in 10 participate in jobs fairs,
one- third provides part- time employment opportunities, and one in 10 works to
incorporate industry standards into the curriculum or develop curriculum. The best
way for N. C. employers to solve their own skills crisis and guarantee that gradu-ates
are job- ready is by becoming more involved in local schools. N. C. employers
should not expect the schools to take the initiative. Instead, N. C. employers
should take leadership in creating viable business- education partnerships
organized to improve employment- readiness of high school graduates and
have agreed upon benchmarks for accountability. Such partnerships need to
be sanctioned by local school boards and the mission clearly defined. At a
minimum, partnerships should have employers assist local schools in devel-oping
work- relevant curriculums, expose students and parents to career
information and opportunities in their local area, and provide work- based
learning opportunities for students.
N. C. employers also need to deal with some of its contradictions. For example,
employers continue to judge the academic skills of high school graduates as inad-equate
while failing to communicate the importance of academic proficiency by
requiring applicants to submit academic transcripts. N. C. employers cannot
expect public education to bear this responsibility alone, thus N. C. employers
that hire high school graduates must request high school transcripts and test
scores from job applicants to signal the importance of academic achievement.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
22
“ The trades are considered the jobs for
failures even though as a carpenter I
made more than most people with a
bachelor’s degree.” ( Construction, 100-
249 employees)
However, reforming schools will not alone solve the growing skills shortage
nor should N. C. employers expect government and education to fix the prob-lem.
N. C. employers will have to help themselves. N. C. employers will need to
develop strategies to retain current workers longer. Only one out of 14 N. C.
employers said they offer incentives to older workers to remain, but retaining cur-rent
workers will require them to implement programs that attract older workers
to remain longer on the job. More than likely, employers will need to develop
employee retention programs and consider such options as offering financial and
fringe benefit incentives, flexible retirement options, flexible schedules, reduced
workloads, shorter workweeks, job sharing and training and education. Moreover,
N. C. employers will need to address working conditions and employee safety.
Some have claimed that data provided by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
( BLS) prove that the number of available jobs will outstrip the number of avail-able
workers by 2010. However, others contend ( including the BLS) that there are
flaws in the math and it is a misrepresentation of the data. They argue that there
are enough available people to fill available jobs. According to the BLS, in addi-tion
to the 8.2 million Americans who are unemployed, there are more than 75
million people of working age not working and another 24 million working part-time.
14 On top of people who are discouraged or working part- time, other poten-tial
labor market participants include early retirees and stay- at- home parents.
Either way, there is no denying we face a future where there will be more jobs than
qualified employees to fill them.
Consequently, N. C. employers will have to consider tapping potential labor
pools that may have gone unnoticed or underutilized before. N. C. employers
will need to actively recruit from special populations such as those who have
given up on the labor market, women, older people, the disabled and ex-offenders.
In some cases, this may require offering incentives such as family-friendly
policies to attract stay- at- home parents. In other cases it may require part-nering
with the N. C. Department of Corrections to prepare inmates returning to
society for work or attracting women to nontraditional occupations such as con-struction.
In any case, this will require N. C. employers to think differently about
the labor market and how and where they recruit potential workers.
Registered Apprenticeship: A Third Way
High school students are usually presented with an “ either/ or” option. In other
words, you can choose either to go to a postsecondary institution or go directly
into the workforce. Students receive much better information and counseling
regarding universities and colleges. Unfortunately, they are not likely to get any
information and counseling on career opportunities, particularly in the skilled
trades where jobs can be high paying and offer career advancement and opportu-nities
for higher education.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
23
______________
14. Robert J. Grossman, “ The Truth About the Coming Labor Shortage,” HR Magazine, v50,
( 2005): 52.
“ I love our current workforce ( very
diverse in age, national origin, gender,
and skill background). However, to hire
them I had to weed out a disturbingly
high number of illegal applicants and
those lacking the communication and
social skills to refrain from cursing and
boasting about unethical behavior and
confrontational episodes with supervi-sors
in the interviews.” ( Manufacturing,
25- 49 employees)
The “ either/ or” option tends to narrow our vision when it comes to alternate learning
paths to higher education and how higher education is defined. Going from high
school directly to a two- or four- year college isn’t the only route, nor is higher educa-tion
strictly the domain of colleges and universities. A good example of both an alter-nate
route and a different definition of higher education is registered apprenticeship.
Registered apprenticeship is a national program that prepares individuals for occu-pations
requiring a broad range of high- level skills and related technical knowl-edge.
Currently there are 900 apprentice- able occupations ranging from aircraft
mechanics and electricians to personnel systems managers and soil conservation
technicians. The apprentice learns the “ how- to” as a wage- earning employee train-ing
on- the- job under the direction of a highly skilled craftsperson. Usually, an
apprentice starts at half the craftsperson rate, working their way to the full rate
upon completion. As an apprentice demonstrates satisfactory progress in both on-the-
job training and related instruction, he or she is advanced in accordance with
the wage schedule as outlined in the registered apprenticeship standards. During
the apprenticeship, skilled craft workers supervise the apprentices, and review,
evaluate and maintain records related to the apprentice’s job performance.
Registered apprenticeship is also competency- based which means the apprentice
advances upon demonstration of mastery.
The “ why” is learned through related technical instruction in the classroom. Areg-istered
apprenticeship program can take from one year to six years, with the aver-age
program four years. For every 2,000 hours of on- the- job training, it is recom-mended
that an apprentice receive 144 hours of related classroom instruction. A
typical four- year program requires 8,000 hours of on- the- job training and 576
hours of related instruction. About 60 percent of all N. C. apprentices receive their
related instruction through the community college system while the other 40 per-cent
of classroom training comes directly from employers, the military, profes-sional
associations and labor organizations. Once an apprentice has completed
training, he or she receives a nationally recognized certificate of completion,
which in many cases can be more valuable to the holder as a means for employ-ment
than a baccalaureate degree.
The problem is that registered apprenticeship is underutilized as an education
alternative in North Carolina. Only 456 high school students were registered as
active apprentices in fiscal year 2004- 05. This represents less than three- tenths of
1 percent of the total population of eligible students in 11th and 12th grades. 15 A
2004 Government Accounting Office forum of national education and workforce
training experts contends that career education and apprenticeship are not given
enough emphasis in the nation’s high schools. 16
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
24
______________
15. The final enrollment for 11th graders in N. C. public schools during the 2004- 05 school- year
was 91,898. The total for 12th graders was 79,025. The statistics are reported in the North Carolina
Public Schools Statistical Profile for 2006.
16. “ Highlights of a GAO Forum, Workforce Challenges and Opportunities for 21st Century:
Changing Labor Force Dynamics and the Role of Government Polices.” GAO Report Number GAO-
04- 845SP, June, 2004, 11.
“ Need to encourage students to look to
vocational skills such as CNC machin-ists,
welders, etc., for good career
opportunities.” ( Manufacturing, 500- 999
employees)
While the completion of an apprenticeship program is a worthy goal in and of itself,
it does not mean that the completer cannot advance to other higher educational oppor-tunities.
In Europe, completion of an apprenticeship program is only the beginning
step and many companies offer journeymen educational and advancement opportuni-ties
that lead many into management ranks including corporate boardrooms.
The difference between registered apprenticeship and other forms of higher educa-tion
is that employers pay the apprentice a wage and also pay for related instruction.
The training and education of an apprentice for an employer is a significant invest-ment.
Employers who see this as a serious investment are not likely to hire high
school students who are simply exploring careers or who are there just to get work
experience. They are looking for students whose goal is to complete the program and
become productive employees. Unfortunately, too few high school students ever
complete an apprenticeship program. The problem is further compounded because
many apprenticeship programs involving high schools students have only one
apprentice, and the employers do not have a commitment to training, but perceive
their involvement with the program as a community service to local schools.
For registered apprenticeship to be a practical education and training alternative,
employers must have a commitment to training and be willing to offer apprentice
opportunities to high school students. In turn, high schools will need to do much
better job screening potential applicants so that the employer has some guarantee
regarding the students’ commitment to completing the program and becoming a
productive employee. Getting employers to provide such opportunities to high
school students and providing them job- specific training may be an uphill climb
since three out of four N. C. employers said they were unwilling to do so. Yet reg-istered
apprenticeship offers the potential to employers of growing their own
skilled labor to suit their job- specific needs.
N. C. high schools need to begin acting upon registered apprenticeship as an
alternate and viable path to higher education. But registered apprenticeship as
an alternate path is not possible without the support and buy- in of N. C. employ-ers.
Accordingly, not only will current apprenticeship sponsors need to make
apprentice opportunities available to high school students, more sponsors will be
needed to meet growing demand. Registered apprenticeship is the best way for
employers to ensure that workers are trained the way they want them. Results from
satisfaction surveys show that approximately 75 percent of employers that have
apprenticeship programs say that the program is either very important or critically
important relative to the company’s goals. Results also show that apprenticeship pro-grams
reduce turnover and improve productivity, quality workmanship, recruitment,
employee problem- solving, employee versatility and skills of employees.
In the end, solving the skills crisis is not the responsibility of a single institution
but the responsibility of all, which include schools, government, business and
even parents and students themselves. N. C. employers cannot sit idly by and wait
upon public schools to change for the better because they are not likely to change
upon their own volition. N. C. employers need to be knocking at the school house
door and ready and willing to roll- up their sleeves to go to work.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
25
“ I do not believe the problem is the
schools. I believe it is the culture. The
schools are the scapegoat.” ( Manufac-turing,
100- 249 employees)

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

The 2006 N. C. Skills
Market Survey
Reconnecting Public Education
With Economic Reality
Cherie Berry, Commissioner
N. C. Department of Labor
1101 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699- 1101
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Discussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Contents
ii
In my travels across the state, employers have expressed concerns about the
scarcity of skilled labor and the difficulty they have finding qualified employees.
For this reason, I wanted to conduct a survey to better gauge the opinions of North
Carolina employers on the ability of today’s high schools to prepare young people
for work, if they are satisfied with the skills of recent high school graduates, and
what difficulty they are having finding qualified workers.
The results from the 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey discussed in this report are
not surprising. We have known that our state and nation face a growing shortage
of skilled labor because of at least two factors. First, aging baby boomers are
beginning to retire, and a low U. S. birth rate means there are fewer workers to
replace them. Second, fewer young people are willing to consider skilled trades as
a career choice. There also is decreasing support for career education in our pub-lic
high schools that are almost exclusively focused on higher education. Because
of these factors, the shortage of skilled workers in construction, manufacturing
and services is growing more severe each year, and unless the trend is reversed,
the shortage will grow worse over the next 15 years to 20 years.
While some of the findings do indicate improvement, mostly they tell us we are
facing serious challenges. Solving the problem will require multiple solutions,
with everyone— education, government, business, parents and students— working
together to build a first- rate workforce for North Carolina. The recommendations
made in this report are based on the findings from the survey and involve most of
the key stakeholders. Most importantly, the survey indicates that business and
industry in North Carolina, as well as the education and government systems, have
work to do. This report calls for more action on the part of our business commu-nity
on both a corporate and local level.
The education and skills that our citizens bring to the workplace are our most crit-ical
economic development issue. Without an educated and skilled workforce, we
will lag behind in our efforts to attract new industry. We risk losing jobs to other
states or outsourcing them to other countries with skilled labor available. We also
run the risk of our small employers, our best generator of new jobs, going out of
business because they do not have the resources to recruit, train and keep skilled
workers.
If we want to improve our labor pool, then we need to give the issue much more
attention than currently is being given by education, government and our business
community. I hope this report helps us move toward closing the skills gap and
building a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
Cherie Berry
N. C. Commissioner of Labor
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Preface
iii
The purpose of the 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey was to determine employer
opinions on the ability of North Carolina high schools to prepare graduates for
work and the status of the state’s skills market. A total of 1,411 N. C. employers
responded. According to the respondents, most ( 52.9 percent) entry- level jobs
require only a high school diploma. In comparison to a previous survey of N. C.
employers in 1989, the percentage of entry- level jobs requiring only a high school
diploma has gone virtually unchanged. Moreover, nearly three out of four ( 73.2
percent) said that their entry- level jobs require a high school diploma or less, and
only one out of seven ( 14.4 percent) require a postsecondary degree.
When N. C. employers were asked if they would hire high school students for
part- time work and give them job- specific skills training, nearly two- thirds
( 62.5 percent) said they are unlikely to do so. While two- thirds are happy with
the computer and reading skills of recent high school graduates ( 65.1 percent
and 63.0 percent, respectively), a similar percentage ( 64.8 percent) is not satis-fied
with graduates’ employability skills, and a majority ( 51.0 percent) said
recent graduates do not have the necessary oral and written communication
skills for their entry- level jobs. Also, more N. C. employers are satisfied than
dissatisfied with recent high school graduates’ math and science skills ( 46.8
percent and 36.7 percent, respectively). In comparison with previous surveys in
1989 and 1994, N. C. employers seem to indicate there has been an improve-ment
in the academic skills of high school graduates. Yet one- fourth to one-third
of employers are still dissatisfied with the reading, science and math skills
of graduates ( 22.3 percent, 26.5 percent and 33.4 percent, respectively). As an
overall grade for N. C. high schools ability to prepare graduates for the work-force,
nearly one- half of employers ( 49.6 percent) gave the schools a C and
while a quarter either gave an F or D ( 4.7 percent and 21.0 percent, respective-ly)
or gave an A or B ( 2.3 percent and 22.4 percent, respectively). Moreover,
one- third of N. C. employers ( 34.2 percent) do not participate in any activities
with local schools.
Based on N. C. employers’ written comments, they perceive recent high school
graduates as immature, disrespectful, irresponsible and unethical. Many recent
graduates seem to believe that a job and a paycheck are an entitlement. Employers
also describe them as lazy and lacking any discipline, dependability, motivation to
work or desire to succeed. Personal appearance, appropriate or professional dress,
and hygiene are also problems encountered by employers. Moreover, N. C.
employers believe high schools are too focused on preparing graduates for college
and believe that not enough emphasis is placed on preparing graduates to go
to work.
These results clearly indicate that N. C. employers primarily value work experi-ence
and employability skills. Job applicants with prior work experience are more
likely to have developed the attitudinal qualities, soft skills and behaviors that
employers say they want to see in people applying for their entry- level jobs.
Traditionally many high school students develop employability skills by working
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
iv
“ As an electronics manufacturer in
northeastern North Carolina, our single
biggest challenge is finding and retain-ing
personnel. Our experience is that the
lack of technical skills and general
employability ( work ethic, attendance)
are a growing problem. We are strug-gling
with this on a daily basis, and
have not yet been able to find a strategy
to overcome these obstacles.”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
part- time jobs after school, on weekends and during summer months. In point of
fact, there is good evidence that teenage employment has many beneficial effects
including postsecondary educational attainment, even when adolescents have low
educational promise upon entry to high school and it confers advantages in the
early socioeconomic career.
Yet a declining number of North Carolina’s 16- and 17- year- olds are benefiting
from the effects of part- time employment. The number of Youth Employment
Certificates being issued to the state’s 16- and 17- year- olds has dropped apprecia-tively
from 52 percent in 1995 to 28 percent in 2004, nearly a 50 percent drop.
Moreover, N. C. employers are dismayed by the state’s skills market. Nearly three
out of four N. C. employers ( 78.5 percent) tell us they have some degree of prob-lem
finding qualified help, with little over one- third ( 36.9 percent) saying it is
either a difficult or severe problem. By and large, employers have the most trou-ble
finding skilled/ technical labor. They are also pessimistic regarding the future.
Most ( 56.6 percent) believe the problem will get worse, and only 10 percent
believe it will get better. The skills shortage appears to be a chronic problem in
North Carolina based on prior employer surveys going back to 1989 and 1994.
When describing the N. C. skills market, many employers used negative terms
such as prehistoric, dismal, poor, deteriorating, very weak, limited, inadequate or
losing ground, while only one gave a positive comment.
When rejecting job applicants, N. C. employers are most likely ( 61.5 percent) to
do so for inadequate employability skills, lack of work experience and job- specif-ic
skills, poor communication skills, and no prior references. When making hiring
decisions, employers tell us the most important factors are job applicants’ attitude
( 69.9 percent), followed by their ability to communicate ( 44.4 percent) and their
appearance ( 37.2 percent). They are also likelier to hire veterans, women, recent
high school graduates and older people, and least likely to hire the disabled and
former prison inmates.
Because of the skills scarcity, N. C. employers are likelier ( 61 percent) to meet
their need for qualified workers by hiring people with fewer skills than required
for the job and train them. Most employers ( 53.9 percent) said they are spending
more, and most of their training dollars are devoted to training employees in tech-nical
and basic skills. However, some of the employers complained that there is
not enough unskilled labor that is trainable because of poor skills, difficulty with
the English language or substance abuse problems.
Recommendations
Less than six out of 10 students who go to college will earn a baccalaureate degree
and less than half entering community colleges return the second year. This sig-nals
a “ disconnect” between the messages students receive and economic realities.
Approximately three out of four jobs currently require a high school diploma or
less and that ratio is not expected to change for the next 10 years. As a conse-quence,
high schools will remain the largest supplier of workers for our state’s
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
v
“ The schools need to embrace the tech-nical
aspect of instruction better. We
need more skilled labor than we need
computer operators.” ( Construction, 10-
24 employees)
“ It would be helpful to incorporate more
technical training and job knowledge for
area employability. Most high schoolers
do not understand what is required
beyond high school to meet the qualifi-cations
for certain jobs or what is avail-able
in their area.” ( Government, 500-
999 employees)
employers and the more significant educational institution in preparing young
people for work. N. C. high schools need to take more seriously the workforce
needs and requirements of our state’s employers. Consequently:
• Every high school graduate needs to be job- ready, which means that N. C. high
schools need to continue improving the basic academic skills of all graduates so
that they have an adequate foundation in which to be trained in job specific skills.
• N. C. high schools must reverse the trend of fewer high school students receiving
the beneficial effects of work experience by reviving cooperative education and
expanding other work- based learning opportunities such as internships, registered
apprenticeship and even entrepreneurial opportunities. Moreover, middle schools
and high schools need to help students begin thinking about their future occu-pational
goals by exposing them to different occupations through means such as
field trips and job shadowing. Parents, who for the most part have one vision
for career and financial success which is the attainment of a four- year degree,
also need to be exposed to career information and opportunities to help their
children make good career choices.
• Our state’s retiring baby boomers with knowledge and experience in skilled
trades should be enlisted into a volunteer community service organization like
Volunteers in Service to America ( VISTA) to work with schools to mentor and
coach students and teachers.
The best way for N. C. employers to solve their own skills crisis and guarantee that
graduates that high school graduates are job- ready is by becoming more involved
in local schools. N. C. employers should not expect the school’s to take the initia-tive
or bear this responsibility alone. As a result:
• N. C. employers should take leadership in creating viable business- education
partnerships organized to improve employment- readiness of high school grad-uates
and have agreed upon benchmarks for accountability. Such partnerships
need to be sanctioned by local school boards and the mission clearly defined.
At a minimum, partnerships should have employers assist local schools in
developing work- relevant curriculums, expose students and parents to career
information and opportunities in their local area, and provide work- based learn-ing
opportunities for students.
• N. C. employers that hire high school graduates must request high school tran-scripts
and test scores from job applicants to signal the importance of academic
achievement.
However, reforming schools will not alone solve the growing skills shortage nor
should N. C. employers expect government and education to fix the problem. N. C.
employers will have to help themselves. Therefore:
• N. C. employers will need to develop strategies to retain current workers longer
by developing employee retention programs and consider such options as offering
financial and fringe benefit incentives, flexible retirement options, flexible
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
vi
“ I think a lot of people entering the mar-ket
don't realize the value of practical
experience. They have book knowledge,
but have never applied it, so are sur-prised
when they get on the job and see
what is expected of them.” ( Services,
100- 249 employees)
“ The problems are growing, not getting
better. I strongly believe that in order to
address these issues it will take a
focused partnership of the education
system ( from kindergarten to high school,
as well as the community college system)
and the business community to provide a
different orientation towards career
development and advancement.”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
schedules, reduced workloads, shorter workweeks, job sharing and training and
education.
• N. C. employers will have to consider tapping potential labor pools that may
have gone unnoticed or underutilized before. N. C. employers will need to
actively recruit from special populations such as those who have given up on
the labor market, women, older people, the disabled and ex- offenders. In some
cases, this may require offering incentives such as family- friendly policies to
attract stay- at- home parents. In other cases it may require partnering with the
N. C. Department of Corrections to prepare inmates returning to society for
work or attracting women to nontraditional occupations such as construction. In
any case, this will require N. C. employers to think differently about the labor
market and how and where they recruit potential workers.
High school students are usually presented with an “ either/ or” option. In other
words, you can choose either to go to a postsecondary institution or go directly
into the workforce. The “ either/ or” option tends to narrow our vision when it
comes to alternate learning paths to higher education and how higher education is
defined. Going from high school directly to a two- or four- year college is not the
only route, nor is higher education strictly the domain of colleges and universities.
Agood example of both an alternate route and a different definition of higher edu-cation
is registered apprenticeship. Registered apprenticeship is a national training
program that requires at least 2,000 hours of on- the- job training and 144 hours of
related classroom instruction. Currently there are 900 apprentice- able occupations
ranging from aircraft mechanics and electricians to personnel systems managers
and soil conservation technicians. For this reason:
• N. C. high schools need to begin acting upon registered apprenticeship as an
alternate and viable path to higher education. But registered apprenticeship as
an alternate path is not possible without the support and buy- in of N. C. employ-ers.
Accordingly, not only will current apprenticeship sponsors need to make
apprentice opportunities available to high school students, more sponsors will
be needed to meet growing demand.
Registered apprenticeship is the best way for employers to ensure that workers are
trained the way they want them. Results from satisfaction surveys show that
approximately 75 percent of employers that have apprenticeship programs say that
the program is either very important or critically important relative to the company’s
goals. Results also show that apprenticeship programs reduce turnover and
improve productivity, quality workmanship, recruitment, employee problem- solving,
employee versatility and skills of employees.
In the end, solving the skills crisis is not the responsibility of a single institution
but the responsibility of all, which include schools, government, business and
even parents and students themselves. N. C. employers cannot sit idly by and wait
upon public schools to change for the better because they are not likely to change
upon their own volition. N. C. employers need to be knocking at the school house
door and ready and willing to roll- up their sleeves to go to work.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Executive Summary
vii
“ As Baby Boomers retire, we are going
to see a big skills gap in the workplace.
Young people have a wonderful opportu-nity
to fill that gap, but they MUST have
or obtain the necessary skills.”
( Manufacturing, 500- 999 employees)
The 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey asked N. C. employers for their opinions
about the job readiness of our state’s high school students and graduates and the
current status of North Carolina’s skills market.
The 5,800 businesses and government agencies that subscribe to the department’s
electronic bimonthly newsletter, NC Labor Ledger, received the survey. Labor
Commissioner Cherie Berry sent an e- mail asking each recipient to open the Web-based
survey using an Internet browser. Of the 5,800 recipients, 1,411 responded
for a completion rate of 24 percent. Although the recipients were not randomly
chosen, the number of respondents makes the survey results very significant. The
results are also similar to other surveys such as the National Association of
Manufacturers’ 2005 and 2001 surveys.
Who Are the Employers?
Figure 1 shows the number of employees of the survey respondents. The response
according to size was fairly balanced among small, medium and large companies
and agencies. The survey respondents by industry sector are shown in Figure 2 and
are ranked according to the number of respondents for each sector. The manufac-turing
sector represents nearly 30 percent of the total respondents, followed by
government ( 16.2 percent), services ( 14.2 percent), construction ( 12.9 percent),
health care ( 7.0 percent) and retail ( 4.3 percent).
Educational Attainment
A majority of employers said that a high school diploma is the highest level of
education required for most of their entry- level jobs ( see Figure 3). One out of five
employers said they either had no educational requirements or required less than
a high school diploma. Another 12.4 percent said that they require some education
or certification beyond a high school diploma. Only one out of 14 employers said
a four- year degree, one out of 20 said a two- year degree, and one out of 42 said a
graduate degree was required.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
1
Figure 1: Survey Respondents by Number of Employees
199
272
172
134
148
148
195
143
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0- 9 10- 24 25- 49 50- 99 100- 249 250- 499 500- 999 1,000 or more
“ Generally we seek some experience/ post
high school education and rarely hire
graduates directly from high school. I
have great concern with the high school
drop out rate. Without a HS diploma we
rarely will even consider the applica-tion.”
( Government, 500- 999 employees)
Two prior scientific studies were conducted among N. C. employers in 1989 and
1994 to determine perceptions about graduates’ preparation for the workforce and
other labor market issues. Figure 4 compares employer responses from all three
surveys. Although there was a drop between 1989 and 1994, the comparison
shows that the number of entry- level jobs requiring only a high school diploma
has gone virtually unchanged between 1989 and 2006. At the same time, the num-ber
of jobs requiring some education or certification has doubled between 1989
and 2006, while those jobs requiring less than a high school diploma have
dropped. What is surprising is that the jobs requiring either a two- year, four- year
or graduate degree have not significantly changed in the last 17 years. Overall,
nearly three out of four entry- level jobs require a high school diploma or less, and
only one out of seven require a postsecondary degree.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
2
Figure 2: Survey Respondents by Industry Type
6
14
29
61
200
99
35
41
43
42
182
229
430
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Military
Telecommunications
Agriculture
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
Transportation
Mining
Electric, Gas, Sanitary Services
Retail
Health Care
Construction
Services ( lodging, personal, pro, repair, etc.)
Government
Manufacturing
Figure 3: Educational Requirements for Entry- Level Jobs 2006
2.4%
4.8%
12.4%
12.5%
52.9%
7.2%
7.8%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Graduate Degree
2- year Degree
4- year Degree
No educational requirements
Some education/ cerfication beyond
HS Diploma
Some education but < HS Diploma
HS Diploma
“ It seems to me that technology and
medicine are fields of emphasis. This
area also has employment opportunities
in biotechnology. A focus on these are-nas
would seem to increase a person's
chance of securing an entry level job
while perhaps going to technical school
or college.” ( Health Care, 50- 99
employees)
“ We do work with our community col-lege
for training needs for out entry
level jobs. We prefer an Associates
degree but will hire someone with expe-rience
and no degree, if the experience
is relevant. We also do pre- employment
skills testing as part of our interview
schedule.” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
There are also notable differences between industries, as seen in Figure 5. Looking
at the top six industries with the highest number of survey respondents, almost one-half
of all entry- level jobs in construction require less than a high school diploma.
For the five remaining industries, a high school diploma is the largest percentage
of entry- level jobs. While some education beyond a high school diploma or a post-secondary
degree is a significant requirement in government, services and health
care sectors, it is less of a requirement in manufacturing, construction and retail. At
the same time, higher percentages of entry- level jobs in the manufacturing, con-struction
and retail sectors require less than a high school diploma, while smaller
percentages of entry- level jobs in government, services and health care do so.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Introduction
3
Figure 4: Comparsion of N. C. Employers’ Educational Requirements
for Entry- Level Jobs Between 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
52.7%
5.7%
31.8%
5.6%
2.9%
0.6%
41.3%
43.4%
6.7%
3.1%
3.0%
0.1%
52.9%
12.4%
20.3%
7.2%
4.8%
2.4%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
Graduate Degree
2- year Degree
4- year Degree
No educational requirements/ Less than HSDiploma
Some education/ certificationbeyond HSDiploma
HSDiploma
1989 1994 2006
Figure 5: Educational Requirements for Entry- level Jobs by Industry
64.2%
55.7%
42.0%
50.2%
4.8%
12.0%
7.1%
26.2%
24.6%
48.9% 46.5%
39.6%
15.3%
21.5%
25.3%
6.6%
5.8%
6.6%
29.7%
24.5%
21.2%
11.4%
4.9% 5.3%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Construction Manufacturing Retail Health Care Services ( lodging,
personal, pro, repair,
etc.)
Government
Less than HS Diploma HS Diploma Some Beyond HS Postsecondary Degree
“ More time and energy needs to be
spent developing a program to train the
service providers such as electricians,
carpenters, plumbers, heating and air
conditioning service technicians and
refrigeration contractors and service
technicians.” ( Construction, 0- 9
employees)
Nearly two- thirds of N. C. employers responding to the survey indicate they are
either unlikely or very unlikely to hire high school students and train them in job-specific
skills ( see Figure 6). Only one- fourth of the employers are likely or very
likely to hire high school students and provide them skills training. When consid-ered
by industry as shown in Figure 7, retail establishments are likelier ( likely and
very likely) than any other sector to provide high school students entry- level
employment and provide them job- specific skills training. However, a majority of
employers for all sectors except retail are unlikely ( unlikely and very unlikely)
to do so. The ability for many sectors to offer such opportunities to high school
students is governed by youth employment laws because many high school students
under age 18. Still, it is apparent that others are unwilling to do so because of other
concerns.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
4
Figure 7: Likelihood of N. C. Employers by Industry
Hiring High School Students for Entry- Level Jobs
and Providing Job- Specific Skills Training
81.0%
72.1%
62.1%
60.6%
11.9%
16.3%
18.3%
19.5%
20.3%
21.4%
22.9%
27.5%
28.0%
30.3%
32.5%
54.1%
65.5%
65.8%
67.4%
57.2%
65.7%
57.7%
56.0%
37.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%
Electric, Gas, Sanitary Services
Mining
Government
Transportation
Manufacturing
Telecommunications
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing
Construction
Health Care
Services ( lodging, personal, pro, repair, etc.)
Retail
Likely Unlikely
“ Reading and writing at an acceptable
level is a problem for some graduates. No
one should graduate from high school
without mastering basic skills. Many high
school ( students) cannot fill out a job
application and spell all the words cor-rectly.
How can we teach them job skills
when they lack the basics?” ( Manu-facturing,
500- 999 employees)
“ Majority of 17 to 21 year olds have very
poor employability skills. Most are termi-nated
before 3 months for attendance,
tardiness or poor work performance.”
( Manufacturing, 100- 249 employees)
Figure 6: Likelihood of N. C. Employers Hiring High School Students
for Entry- Level Jobs and Providing Job- Specific Skills Training
35.2%
27.3%
12.5%
6.1%
18.9%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
Very Unlikely Unlikely Not Sure Likely Very Likely
As shown in Figure 8, when asked if recent high school graduates have the neces-sary
skill level to be trained for their entry- level jobs, about two- thirds of employers
said that graduates have the necessary computer skills and reading skills. While
more employers agree graduates have the required skill level in mathematics, one-third
disagrees. Likewise, roughly one in three agreed graduates have the necessary
science skills, while one in four said they do not.
Almost two out of three employers said that recent high school graduates do not
have the necessary employability skills such as work ethic, attendance or time-liness,
and a bare majority said they don’t have the necessary written or oral
communication skills. In addition, more employers disagree than agree that
graduates have the required vocational and technical skills for their entry- level
jobs. Employers in the construction, manufacturing, and electric, gas and sanitary
services are likelier to disagree than other industry sectors that graduates have the
required vocational and technical skills.
A comparison of the 2006 results with the results from the 1989 and 1994 busi-ness
and industry surveys shows that employer opinions on the reading, math and
computer skills among high school graduates have improved, as indicated in
Figure 9. On the other hand, Figure 10 shows that communications skills appear
to have stagnated. While oral and written communications were separate values in
the 1989 and 1994 surveys, only one- third agreed in all three surveys that oral and
written skills were adequate. At the same time, employability skills seem to have
worsened. While a direct comparison cannot be made, nearly one- third of the
employers ( 31.6 percent) in 1994 indicated that graduates had the work ethic and
four out of 10 ( 41.7 percent) said they had the personal qualities for their entry-level
jobs. In 2006, only 16.6 percent of employers said they had the necessary
employability skills that include work ethic and personal qualities such as attitude,
appearance, commitment and punctuality.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
5
Figure 8: N. C. Employers’ Agreement/ Disagreement Whether High
School Graduates Have Necessary Skill Levels for Entry- Level Jobs
16.6%
32.0%
32.2%
36.7%
46.8%
63.0%
65.1%
64.8%
37.7%
51.0%
26.5%
33.4%
22.3%
14.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Employability Skills
Vocational/ Technical Skills
Communication Skills
Science
Mathematics
Reading
Computer Skills
Agreed Disagreed
“ We have a great need for workers in
the construction industry who have
above average computer, communica-tion,
problem identification & resolution
skills, ability to make sound decisions,
organizational skills, and the desire to
work daily. There are so many mechani-cally
oriented students who could learn
these skills in the high school setting.”
( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
One- half of employers gave high schools a C for their ability to prepare young
people for their entry- level jobs while a quarter either gave the schools an F or
D, or A or B ( see Figure 11). This assessment is in line with employers’ opinions
on the skill- level question above. While more employers agree than disagree that
schools are doing an adequate job on academic skills ( reading, math and science),
more disagree than agree when it comes to employability, communication and
vocational skills. This may actually be some improvement over employers’
assessment in the 1989 and 1994 business and industry surveys. Among employ-ers,
only 29 percent in the 1989 survey and 24.1 percent in the 1994 survey were
satisfied with the preparation of N. C. high school students for the workforce,
while a majority of employers were dissatisfied ( 52.7 percent and 55 percent,
respectively).
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
6
Figure 10: Comparison of N. C. Employers’ Agreement That
High School Graduates Have Necessary Communication Skills
From 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
33.3%
31.2%
32.2%
35.3%
30.6%
28.0%
29.0%
30.0%
31.0%
32.0%
33.0%
34.0%
35.0%
36.0%
1989 1994 2006
Communication Skills Writing
“ I have really been surprised the
amount of applicants who apply for jobs
that can't either read, write or figure
simple math.” ( Government, 25- 49
employees)
“ If you want to go to college, the
schools are making the effort to prepare
students for this. If you are looking at
the graduates prepared for the job mar-ket,
then they fail!” ( Government, 25- 49
employees)
Figure 9: Comparison of N. C. Employers’ Agreement That
High School Graduates Have Necessary Reading, Math and Computer
Skills From 1989, 1994 and 2006 Surveys
53.9%
63.0%
23.7% 24.2%
43.0%
65.1%
56.7%
46.8%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
1989 1994 2006
Reading Mathematics Computer Skills
Employers were also asked if they participated with local schools in a number of
activities. As Figure 12 indicates, most employers said they participate in job fairs
or career days at schools. Moreover, employers are likelier to provide part- time
jobs to students, organize special programs or events, contribute space or equip-ment,
and allow employees to mentor students. They are less likely to provide
teachers summer internships, work with schools to develop or incorporate indus-try
standards into curriculums, provide apprenticeships to students, and loan com-pany
personnel. However, one- third of employers ( 34 percent) indicate they do
not participate in any activities with local schools.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
7
Figure 12: Employer Involvement With N. C. High Schools
5.7%
10.1%
11.8%
21.1%
21.5%
25.7%
31.7%
40.2%
9.3%
9.6%
12.5%
34.2%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0%
Summer Internship for Teacher
Develop Curriculum
Other
Youth Apprenticeship
Incorporate Industry Standards in
Curriculum
Loaned Company Personnel
Employee Mentors
Contributed Space/ Equipment
Organized Special Programs
Part- time Jobs
Do Not Participate
Job Fairs
“ Graduates are slovenly, non commu-nicative,
dress poorly, have attendance
problems, and generally have an attitude
of entitlement.” ( Health Care, 250- 499
employees)
Figure 11: N. C. High Schools’ Grade on Job Preparedness
4.7%
21.0%
22.4%
2.3%
49.6%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
F
D
C
B
A
Comments
A total of 498 employers made comments to an open- ended question regarding
North Carolina high schools and their graduates. Almost without exception, the
written comments are negative, many attributing blame for unprepared graduates
to schools and teachers, but also parents and society in general.
Employers were very expressive regarding their dissatisfaction with graduates’
employability skills. More often, employers describe recent graduates as imma-ture,
disrespectful, irresponsible and unethical. They claim that recent graduates
are lazy and lack any discipline, dependability, motivation to work or desire to
succeed. Employers said that most recent graduates do not want to work outside
or do manual labor, and perceive a job and paycheck as an entitlement. Personal
appearance, appropriate or professional dress, and hygiene among high school
graduates are also problems encountered by employers.
Communication skills are another problem mentioned frequently. Some employ-ers
complained that high school graduates lack the ability to adequately fill out a
job application or to handle themselves in an interview.
Moreover, while academic skills may have improved for many recent graduates, it
has not improved for all graduates. Some employers bemoaned the lack of adequate
reading and math skills or the ability to apply those skills in practical settings.
Many employers said that the problem with graduates is that high schools are too
focused on preparing students for college while little, if any, attention is given to
those students heading directly to the job market. Some blame the lack of guid-ance
counseling for non- college bound students, while others said that there is a
need to encourage students to work part- time or during the summer to gain work
experience. Additionally, some employers do not think students are being exposed
to opportunities in skilled trades where many jobs are high- paying and offer
advancement opportunities. Most decry the deterioration of vocational training in
high schools and said educators are out of touch with economic realities.
Some employers also complain that high schools are too focused on teaching stu-dents
to take tests rather than learning the basics or how to solve problems.
Another issue for employers is an indifferent attitude on the part of some educa-tors.
While some employers complain that attempts to contact educators go
unheeded, others complain that educators ignore them.
For some employers, community colleges are perceived as finishing the job left
incomplete by the high schools and equate an associate degree with what a high
school diploma should mean.
However, a few employers do not lay blame upon educators. Some employers
point the finger at society, parenting and our culture. Others indicate that teachers
spent more time controlling classes than teaching, and high schools are no longer
safe places, but plagued by drugs and violence.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on High Schools and Graduates
8
“ If you want to go to college, the schools
are making the effort to prepare students
for this. If you are looking at the gradu-ates
prepared for the job market, then
they fail!” ( Government, 50- 99 employ-ees)
“ Most are computer/ technologically
savvy. Lacking in many is the ability to
communicate ... both orally and written.
Many are unable to use the English lan-guage
properly ... that is, use correct
verb tense, etc. Unfortunately, work
ethic overall seems poor, and as a result
attendance, punctuality, business acumen
( including judgment and maturity) suf-fers.
Now this is not inherent in EVERY
student I've encountered, but unfortu-nately,
this has been my overall impres-sion.”
( Health Care, 1,000 or more
employees)
“( The high schools) make the assump-tion
that all students should go to col-lege;
As a consequence, the business
community takes on the responsibility of
training new workers in the most basic
of work skills to include getting to work
on time.” ( Manufacturing, 0- 9 employees)
Problems Finding Qualified Job Applicants
As shown in Figure 13, four out of 10 N. C. employers said that finding qualified
job applicants is “ somewhat of a problem,” while more than one- third said it is
either a “ difficult problem” or a “ severe problem.” Only two out of 10 N. C.
employers said it is either “ no problem” or a “ minor problem.” Finding qualified
applicants seems to be a recurring problem for N. C. employers. In the 1989 busi-ness
and industry survey, more than one- half of the employers ( 54.4 percent)
either said they “ always” or “ frequently” have problems finding qualified appli-cants.
Employers in the 1994 survey were asked if they had difficulties finding
qualified applicants for various types of jobs. When combining those who indicated
“ always” or “ frequently,” the largest dissatisfaction ( 40.9 percent) was with find-ing
qualified applicants for service jobs. Technical and production jobs were 39.9
percent and 37.9 percent, respectively.
As indicated in Figure 14, employers overwhelmingly said they find the fewest qual-ified
applicants for their skilled/ technical jobs. When they were asked if the problem
finding qualified applicants will get better or worse in the next three years, a major-ity
( 56.6 percent) said it would get “ worse” or “ much worse.” Only one out of 10
are optimistic that it would get “ better” or “ much better.” ( see Figure 15)
Hiring Decisions
Despite employers’ dissatisfaction with the employability skills of recent high
school graduates, most indicate their preferred minimum age for hiring entry- level
employees is 18- or 19- years- old, as shown in Figure 16. Tellingly, the percentage
of employers who said the minimum hiring age is 18 to 19 ( 52.6 percent) is very
close to the percentage ( 52.9 percent) who said only a high school diploma was
required for most of their entry- level jobs.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
9
“ Please stop teaching high school stu-dents
that manufacturing jobs are a
‘ thing of the past.’” ( Manufacturing,
100- 249 employees)
Figure 13: Problem Finding Qualified Job Applicants
7.5%
41.6%
26.4%
10.5%
14.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
Not a problem Minor problem Somewhat of a problem Difficult problem Severe problem
“ Trainable unskilled workers are
becoming increasingly harder to find.
Our entry- level positions do not require
prior experience but the individuals must
be trainable.” ( Health Care, 250- 499
employees)
“ I contacted the two high schools in my
county the week after school was out and
left a message for the teacher or coun-selor
assigned to non- college bound or
vocational students. We had to entry
level positions we needed to fill. The
person answering the phone said the
person I needed to speak with was still
working— but I NEVER HEARD BACK
FROM EITHER OF THEM. IF THEY
DO NOT CARE ABOUT THESE STU-DENTS
OR LOCAL EMPLOYERS,
WHO WILL?” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
Figure 17 reveals that two out of three N. C. employers said the most common rea-son
for rejecting a job applicant is inadequate employability skills ( work ethic,
attendance, timeliness, etc.), followed by insufficient work experience, lack of
job- specific skills, inadequate communication skills and poor or no references
from a previous employer. Academic skills such as reading and math, along with
computer skills, ranked at the bottom.
When asked about the importance of certain skills and other factors in making hir-ing
decisions, an applicant’s attitude ranks first among employers, followed by an
applicant’s communication skills, appearance, if the applicant has previous work
experience and a recommendation from a prior employer. Academic performance
or grades and the reputation of an applicant’s school rank at the bottom.
Surprisingly, vocational/ technical credentials rank near the bottom as well ( see
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
10
“ As with the rest of the country, North
Carolina has a vast shortage of skilled
workers.” ( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 15: Skills Shortage Will Get Better or Worse?
10.3%
46.3%
2.1%
7.9%
33.3%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
Much Worse Worse Not Sure Better Much Better
“ We need to go back to teaching job
skills and STOP TEACHING THE
EOG/ EOC TEST. The testing has gone
too far. Go back to teaching basics and
perhaps when these kids graduate they
can read a tape measure or have work
skills! When the kids get out on their
own, the majority seems lost— bosses
aren't going to keep giving you a chance
to ‘ pass’ the task at hand. I've been in
the workforce for 25 years and am dis-turbed
by the decreasing number of
students that are prepared to enter the
workforce upon leaving high school.”
( Services, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 14: Types of Jobs Experiencing a
Short Supply of Qualified Applicants
6.0%
13.4%
13.6%
13.6%
63.7%
19.4%
7.4%
5.3%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Other
None
Sales and Marketing
Administrative Support
Customer Service
Management
Unskilled
Skilled/ Technical
Figure 18). In the 1994 business and industry survey, N. C. employers were asked
if they relied on high school records or interviews when hiring prospective appli-cants.
Only 12.4 percent indicated they gave “ a great deal” of attention to high
school records, while 84.9 percent said that the interview was the deciding factor
for hiring.
In meeting their needs for qualified workers, N. C. employers are likelier to hire peo-ple
with fewer skills than required for the job and then train them ( see Figure 19).
Most also recruit locally, while almost one in four said they either recruit from their
competitors or have to recruit from other states for qualified workers. One in five
employers indicate they offer hiring incentives, such as free health insurance, dis-ability
insurance and a 401( K) retirement match to meet their needs. Employers are
less likely to recruit or outsource jobs to other countries and offer incentives to retain
older workers. Only one in 20 said they had no problem hiring qualified workers.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
11
“ Something MUST be done or we will
have no work force in the future! I have
been a Human Resource Director for 28
years and in my tenure, have never seen
the work force so deficit in basic needs
such as professionalism, dress code, atti-tude,
lack of interviewing skills, etc.”
( Services, 25- 49 employees)
“ Most if not all students or those who
have just graduated do not know how to
fill out an application, how to dress or
how to speak properly. Our policy is that
you must be 19 years of age or old to
apply.” ( Retail, 25- 49 employees)
Figure 17: Reasons for Rejecting Job Applicants
10.5%
41.0%
41.6%
61.5%
36.1%
17.5%
13.1%
16.3%
21.5%
27.4%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Inadequate computer skills
Other
Inadequate math skills
Inadequate reading skills
Inadequate problem- solving skills
Poor/ no references
Inadequate communication skills
Lack job- specific skills
Insufficient work experience
Inadequate employability skills
“ Would like to see more training in
resume preparation, interview skills,
work ethics, professional appearance
requirements when interviewing, polite-ness
and manners when interviewing as
well as working with others as team
players.” ( Services, 25- 49 employees)
Figure 16: Preferred Hiring Age for Entry- Level Positions
1.9%
52.6%
22.6%
22.9%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
14- 17
18- 19
20- 21
22 or older
As indicated in Figure 20, most N. C. employers are very likely or likely to hire
veterans, women, recent high school graduates, and people 55 and older. A major-ity
of employers are also very likely or likely to hire welfare recipients. Most
employers are either unlikely or not sure about hiring the disabled and former
prison inmates.
Training
Amajority of N. C. employers ( 53.9 percent) said they are spending “ more” on train-ing
employees, while about one- third said “ about the same” and only 3.5 percent
indicate they are spending “ less” as shown in Figure 21. Figure 22 reveals that
employers also devote most of their training dollars to providing their employees
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
12
Figure 19: How Empoyers Meet Their Need for Qualified Workers
3.2%
3.2%
12.9%
51.2%
23.8%
23.2%
5.8%
7.4%
8.0%
18.7%
61.0%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Recruited in foreign countries
Outsourced jobs to other
countries
No problem hiring qualified
workers
Offered incentives to older
workers to remain
Other
Replaced people with technology
Offered hiring incentives
Recuited in other states
Recruited from competitors
Recruited locally
Hired people with less skills and
trained them
“ N. C. like many other states needs to
work on improvements to our school sys-tem
in an effort to prepare our youth for
the working world. Technical and soft
skills are as important as their SAT
scores— if they even took the SAT. We
have to get back to preparing our chil-dren
in the same manner that other gen-erations
were prepared to work hard, be
responsible, be respectful and learn—
and never stop.” ( Government, 100- 249
employees)
“ Under normal circumstances we only
hire those with experience in the avail-able
position. We are a small company
unable to provide the extensive on- the-job
training required for our entry- level
positions.” ( Health Care, 10- 24 employees)
Figure 18: Factors Very Important in Hiring Decision
2.1%
4.7%
69.9%
44.4%
32.9%
15.2%
16.7%
24.9%
37.2%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%
Reputation of School
Academic Performance ( Grades)
Vocational/ Technical Credentials
Years of Completed Schooling
Recommendation/ Previous
Employer
Previous Work Experience
Appearance
Communications Skills
Attitude
technical skills and basic skills and considerably less for managerial development
and sales. Moreover, about four out of 10 employers said that 80 percent to 100
percent of their employees receive formal training each year ( see Figure 23).
Comments
Employers were asked to respond to an open- ended question regarding their opin-ions
on the N. C. skills market. A total of 251 employers made comments. A num-ber
of employers describe the N. C. skills market in negative terms such as “ pre-historic,”
“ dismal,” “ poor,” “ deteriorating,” “ very weak,” “ limited,” “ inadequate,”
or “ losing ground,” while only one gave a positive comment.
Some employers complain there is not even enough unskilled labor that is “ train-able”
to fulfill their needs. Either they have poor skills ( e. g., communications,
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
13
Figure 21: Spend More/ Less Training Employees Since 3 Years Ago
53.9%
36.1%
3.5%
6.5%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
More About the same Less Don't know
“ Skilled labor force is going down hill.”
( Construction, 10- 24 employees)
“ Prehistoric.” ( Finance, Insurance, Real
Estate, 10- 24 employees)
“ What Skills Market?” ( Manufacturing,
25- 49 employees; Construction, 50- 99
employees)
“ Extreme shortage, period.”
( Construction, 1,000 or more employees)
“ NORTH CAROLINA’S skill market is
relatively low compared to other states.”
( Government, 250- 499 employees)
“ North Carolina skills market is in need
of help! ... THE HELP IS NEEDED
NOW!” ( Military, 1,000 or more
employees)
“ Driving industry away!” ( Mining, 25-
49 employees)
“ Dismal compared to other states.”
( Telecommunications 1,000 or more
employees)
Figure 20: Very Likely or Likely to Hire for Entry- Level
Jobs Requiring On- the- Job Training
81.7%
14.5%
39.1%
51.4%
61.0%
64.5%
78.8%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%
Former Prison Inmates
Disabled People
Welfare Recipients
People 55 or Older
Recent High School Graduates
Women
Veterans
employability), are immigrants who have trouble speaking English, or have a sub-stance
abuse problem. At least one employer commented that poorly skilled work-ers
are a health and safety concern in the workplace.
Other employers complain about workers showing up for work intoxicated or on
drugs. One employer said they hire unqualified people due to the lack of qualified
applicants who can pass a drug test. N. C. employers further complain there are
applicants who prefer to draw unemployment and stay at home or go to school
even when offered high paying jobs. Another employer said they have employees
who quit only to draw a check from social services.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
14
“ Very worried regarding the future, if
there is a future, for our manufacturing
companies. If we can’t hire trainable
people or those that can speak English,
we are going to run out of jobs and com-panies.”
( Manufacturing, 100- 249
employees)
“ Drugs, the silent killer of our future. Six
out of ten cannot pass the drug screens.
Two out of ten that are hired have used an
addictive to pass the screens, only to face
termination when a random test occurs.”
( Construction, 250- 499 employees)
Figure 23: Percent of Employees
Receiving Formal Training Annually
11.6% 11.9%
6.9%
10.3%
7.2%
12.7%
39.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
80- 100% 60- 79% 40- 59% 20- 39% 10- 19% Less than 10% Don't know
Figure 22: Receives Largest Allocation of Training Budget
2.5%
26.4%
41.1%
8.5%
12.4%
9.0%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0%
Sales
Supervisory Skills
Leadership Development
Don't Know
Basic Skills
Technical Skills
“ Community Colleges, like ours, are pick-ing
up the slack by taking uneducated
HS students and preparing them for the
workforce.” ( Government, 250- 499
employees)
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Employer Opinions on the N. C. Skills Market
15
Electricians and electrical engineers
Electrical linemen
Carpenters
Plumbers and pipe fitters
Brick masons
Heating and air conditioning service technicians
Refrigeration service technicians
Painters
Heavy equipment operators
Welders
Iron workers and riggers
Auto and truck service technicians
Law enforcement
Firefighters
Allied health positions
Nurses ( RN) and nursing assistants
Dental radiologists
Biotechnology
Paramedics
Physical therapists
Boat builders
Webmasters
Plastic process technicians
Printing industry
Computer numerical control machine operators
Maintenance mechanics
Millwrights
Heavy equipment diesel mechanics
Knitters
The occupations employers said they were experiencing a shortage of skilled labor
included:
“ We are running out of technically savvy
people, and that’s just a shame.”
( Services, 50- 99 employees)
Skills Shortage: A Chronic N. C. Problem
Most N. C. employers are experiencing a shortage of qualified job applicants and
more than one- third tell us it is either a difficult or severe problem. It is especial-ly
acute with job applicants for skilled/ technical jobs. N. C. employers are pes-simistic
regarding the future, believing the skills shortage will get worse. If you
consider the results of employer surveys going back to 1989, their pessimism may
be because a skills shortage appears to be a chronic problem in North Carolina.
These findings are nothing new. There are plenty of other studies that corroborate
the results reported here. For example, a 2005 survey by the National Association
of Manufacturers found that 81 percent of its members report a moderate to severe
skills shortage and the biggest shortage is for technically skilled employees.
Comparatively, 85 percent of N. C. manufacturers in the N. C. Skills Market
Survey said they were experiencing a skills shortage to some degree with appli-cants
for skilled/ technical jobs the more significant problem. Manufacturers are
not alone in their concern. About three out of four hospital CEOs say they are fac-ing
significant shortages of registered nurses and radiology technicians, one- half
need more pharmacists, one- third say laboratory technicians are needed, and one-quarter
of CEOs require more outpatient therapists and licensed practical nurses. 1
Similarly, construction employed 6.7 million in 2001, and by 2010 the industry
will need an additional 1.5 million workers just to maintain productivity. The
skills shortage is not limited to American shores. Manpower Professional’s recent
international survey of 32,000 companies in 26 countries found that 45 percent of
its respondents said they were experiencing difficulty finding workers, especially
in fields that require training credentials and experience. However, the survey
reports that American companies are feeling the effects of the shortage more
acutely than other countries. 2
The economic consequences of a skills shortage can be costly. A skills shortage
stiffens competition for the few qualified workers available and drives up wages.
Companies will have to invest more in education and job training programs to pre-pare
less qualified workers for skilled jobs. A greater investment in wages, educa-tion
and training reduces profits and dividends for stockholders. In turn, small
employers that cannot compete with the resources of larger companies may go out
of business. In some cases, corporate survival may mean more outsourcing of jobs
to countries that can provide skilled labor at cheaper wage rates. Moreover, fewer
skilled workers could seriously impede product and service quality, sales, innova-tion,
and productivity. All of this means slower economic growth, which in turn
means slower growth in state and federal government tax revenues. For the
American economy, a skills shortage could fuel inflation, reduce our standard of
living, and degrade our competitive position with other countries.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
16
______________
1. “ The Future of Health Care: An Outlook from the Perspective of Hospital CEOs.” Deloitte &
Touche L. L. P’s ninth biennial survey, ( 2002).
2. Gina Ruiz, “ Skilled- Worker Shortage Fuels Wage Inflation,” Workforce Management, 85,
( 2006): 10.
“ We are finding that there are not
enough employees to go around. ... In
Western North Carolina— everyone is
screaming that we need industry��� We're
a small industry who needs workers! I
have had an entry level position listed at
the ESC for almost 3 weeks and have
received one application!!!???!!!”
( Manufacturing, 25- 49 employees)
Some Good News but Much Room for Improvement
The 2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey does provide some good news regarding the
proficiency of high school graduates in most academic subjects. Nearly two- thirds
of employers said that graduates have the necessary reading and computer skills. In
addition, more employers agree than disagree regarding graduates’ competency in
math and science. In comparison with previous surveys in 1989 and 1994, N. C.
employers seem to indicate there has been an improvement in the academic skills of
high school graduates. However, one- fourth to one- third of employers is still dissat-isfied
with the reading, science and math skills of graduates. The failure of high
schools to adequately educate all students in basic academic skills means that
employers ( as well as colleges and universities) have to invest in remedial education
just to prepare them for job- specific training. A study of remedial education in the
state of Michigan estimates that it costs Michigan businesses an average of $ 13.78
per employee for a total of $ 40 million a year to teach its workers basic skills. 3
As an overall evaluation, most employers give N. C. high schools a letter grade of C
on their ability to prepare young people for the workforce. This might be an
improvement in employers’ earlier evaluations ( 1989 and 1994) where most were
dissatisfied with the preparation of high school graduates for entry- level jobs.
Dissatisfaction with the preparation of students might have indicated a barely pass-ing
or failing grade. Yet it remains that three out of four employers give N. C. high
school schools a grade of C, D or F. In other words, approximately 75 percent of
N. C. employers tell us high schools are middling at best in workforce preparation.
Very similar results were found in a 2000 study of U. S. workers’ attitudes about
work. A majority of workers gave high schools a grade of C ( 40 percent), D ( 10
percent) and F ( 6 percent) when asked how well high schools prepare graduates
with the skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in the workplace. 4 Another study
found that among public high school graduates going into the workforce, 39 per-cent
said there were gaps in their preparation for what is expected in their current
employment, and 46 percent said there were gaps in the skills and abilities of jobs
they hoped to get in the future. 5 The same study found that employers estimated
39 percent of recent high school graduates are unprepared for entry- level jobs,
which is exactly the same percentage of non- college bound graduates who said
they had gaps in their preparation. Moreover, 45 percent of employers said high
school graduates did not have the skills and abilities to advance. 6 N. C. employers
are deserving of a higher standard than what a letter grade of C implies. Creating
a workforce that can enable businesses to compete in global markets will require
high schools to earn a higher grade from employers.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
17
______________
3. Jay P. Green, “ The Cost of Remedial Education: How Much Michigan Pays When Students
Fail to Learn Basic Skills,” Jay P. Mackinac Center for Public Policy, ( 2000): 7.
4. “ Making the Grade: What American Workers Think Should be Done to Improve Education,”
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers and The Center for Survey Research
and Analysis at the University of Connecticut, ( 2000): 9.
5. “ Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work?”
Achieve, Inc., ( 2005): 3.
6. Ibid., 6.
“ They need to be able to read and write
and have basic math skills. Many I inter-view
have no understanding of decimals
or fractions. Most cannot read a tape
measure. Many cannot fill out our appli-cation
because they cannot read. If they
cannot read and write I cannot be sure
they understand our safety training and
this would put them and us at a terrible
risk of injury or even death. Safety is the
key to a good worker. If you have some-one
that is able and willing to work safely
you can train them to do almost anything.”
( Manufacturing, 50- 99 employees)
What N. C. Employers May Really Want: Work Experience and Soft Skills
While N. C. employers’ assessment of recent high school graduates’ academic
skills may have improved from previous assessments in 1989 and 1994, they are
clearly dissatisfied with the employability, communication and job- specific skills
of high school graduates. Two- thirds of employers said that recent graduates do
not have the necessary employability skills, including traits such as work ethic,
attendance and punctuality. Most employers are also unhappy with the oral and
written communication skills of graduates, while a greater percentage is dis-pleased
than pleased with their training in job- specific skills. ( In particular,
Employers’ written comments suggest what they mean by better communication
skills is that recent high school graduates need to improve their interviewing skills
and they want them to speak properly and to complete job applications.)
When it comes to reasons for rejecting job applicants, employers are most likely
to do so because of inadequate employability skills, insufficient work experience,
a lack of job- specific skills, poor communication skills, and no prior recommen-dations.
When making hiring decisions, employers are more interested in an appli-cant’s
attitude, appearance and how well the person communicates. They also like
to see prior work experience and a recommendation from a previous employer.
Academic skills, grades, computer skills and even vocational credentials are least
important in the hiring decision. An earlier survey by the National Association of
Manufacturers in 2001 found similar results, with inadequate employability skills
and insufficient work experience the top two reasons for rejecting applicants.
Similarly, attitude, communication skills, previous work experience and a recom-mendation
from a current employer were manufacturers’ top four most important
factors when hiring a new employee.
These results clearly indicate that N. C. employers primarily value work experi-ence
and employability skills ( e. g., work ethic, attendance, timeliness). Job appli-cants
with prior work experience are more likely to have developed the attitudinal
qualities, soft skills and behaviors that employers say they want to see in people
applying for their entry- level jobs.
Although employers reject applicants because they lack job- specific skills, they also
said vocational and technical credentials are not a high priority in the hiring deci-sion.
At the same time, six out of 10 employers said they are willing to hire people
with less skills and give them job- specific training. Moreover, employers tell us they
are spending more money on training than they did three years ago and devote most
of their training dollars to teaching basic and technical skills to employees. 7 While
employers would undoubtedly prefer to hire applicants who have good academic,
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
18
______________
7. The 2005 Skills Gap Report— A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce showed
almost identical results on this question. While 50 percent of the respondents to the 2005 survey of
the National Manufacturing Association ( NAM) said that they spend more on training than they did
3 years ago, 53.9 percent claimed they were spending more in the N. C. Department of Labor
( NCDOL) study. Similarly, 44 percent of the NAM respondents said they were spending about the
same while 36.1 percent of the NCDOL respondents gave the same response.
“ New students do not know how to set
and achieve goals. They are surprised
when there are consequences for missing
deadlines/ falling short of expected levels
of performance. They act as if they
expect the targets to be lowered if they
are hard to achieve. They are weak in
technical reading and comprehension
( charts, diagrams, graphs, etc.) They
have problems working with time on a
60 minute basis as they appear to be
used to a decimal- based system. Their
skills with practical applications of math
are very low. They can perform addition,
subtraction, division and multiplication,
but they cannot apply this knowledge to
problem solving.” ( Manufacturing, 250-
499 employees)
job- specific and employability skills, these findings suggest they are willing to
hire people with no vocational training and even inadequate academic skills as
long as they have developed good employability skills. This being said, it still
does not excuse N. C. high schools from their responsibility to empower every
graduate with the necessary foundation of academic skills to successfully master
the job- specific requirements of employers.
Traditionally, many high school students develop employability skills by working
part- time jobs after school, on weekends and during summer months. In point of
fact, there is good evidence that teenage employment has many beneficial results.
A10- year longitudinal study of 14- and 15- year- olds examining the effects of part-time
employment concluded that students who work even as much as half time
have more advantages than those students who do not work during high school.
The study showed there were no trade- offs between paid work and other youth
activities, such as homework, family work, volunteering, and extracurricular
activities. The study also concluded that part- time employment promotes voca-tional
exploration, develops confidence, work values and time management skills,
and does not interfere with school performance. According to the study, “... paid
work can have marked advantages for adolescents, particularly when it is pursued
steadily, and characterized by learning opportunities. Steady employment fosters
postsecondary educational attainment, and this effect appears to be particularly
strong for adolescents who have relatively low educational promise upon entry to
high school. Adolescents who reported learning opportunities in their high school
jobs were further along in their career trajectories seven years after high school
than those whose early jobs provided fewer challenges and chances to use their
skills and abilities. All told, teenage work, especially if pursued consistently and
moderately, appears to confer advantages in the early socioeconomic career.” 8
Yet a declining number of North Carolina’s high school students are benefiting
from the effects of part- time employment. Figure 24 reveals that the number of
Youth Employment Certificates being issued to the state’s population of 16- and
17- year- olds has dropped appreciatively from 52 percent in 1995 to 28 percent in
2004— nearly a 50 percent drop. Just looking at the total number of certificates
issued in 1995 compared to 2004 shows a drop of about one- third. This trend is
not isolated to North Carolina. Nationally, teenage employment in 2006 is the low-est
since statistics were first taken in 1949. Moreover, there is a large disparity
between white, black and Hispanic teenagers. 9 If the number of N. C. high school
students getting a certificate is dropping, then this can only indicate there is a cor-responding
drop in the number of students receiving work- based learning experi-ences
such as job shadowing, co- op education and internships. This may also
explain why there has been a decline in employers’ assessment of the employabil-ity
skills for high school graduates since 1989.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
19
______________
8. J. T. Mortimer, Working and Growing Up in America ( Cambridge: Harvard University Press,
2003), 205.
9. Paul E. Barton, “ High School Reform and Work: Facing Labor Market Realities,” ( Education
Testing Service, 2006), 27.
“ We allow High School students in
Allied Health program to do rotations in
departments of interest in addition to the
Special Education Program where we
work with kids in shadowing in some
non- clinical entry- level jobs where they
can see expectations of the work force.
Allowing this type interaction outside of
a classroom is really the only way the
students get a real picture of workplace
expectations.” ( Health Care, 1,000 or
more employees)
“ We need to be putting a higher priority
on skilled workers in our high schools
before we run out.” ( Construction, 250-
499 employees)
Public Education Needs to Reconnect with Economic Reality
Employers complain that N. C. high schools almost exclusively focus on higher
education at the expense of those students who will enter the workforce upon
graduation. As a result, too many graduates are planning to enter postsecondary
education after high school graduation. Yet a significant percentage of college-bound
high school graduates never complete either a two- or four- year college
degree. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education reports that
58 percent of first- time, full- time students complete a four- year degree within six
years of entering a N. C. public or private institution that offers a bachelor diplo-ma.
This means that 42 percent of those entering did not complete within six years
of entering a four- year college program. 10 While the National Center for Public
Policy and Higher Education does not report a completion rate for associate
degrees, it does show that only 48 percent of first- year N. C. community college
students return their second year. 11 The economic benefits of people with some
college compared to those who are only high school graduates are negligible.
Furthermore, research shows that 40 percent of those who have received a four-year
degree are employed in jobs that do not require a college degree. 12
These statistics signal a major “ disconnect” between the messages students
receive and economic realities. Most entry- level jobs, according to the employers
in this survey, only require a high school diploma or less. The N. C. Workforce
Development Commission’s recent report assessing the state’s demand and supply
for labor supports that claim. As shown in Figure 25, approximately three out of
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
20
Figure 24: Number and Percent of All N. C. 16- and 17- Year- Olds
Issued Youth Employment Certificates
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
Total 16- 17 191,096 196,798 200,350 202,536 206,402 206,450 211,180 217,613 221,275 227,130
Issued YECs 99,361 92,630 91,135 96,134 91,384 88,967 71,002 62,216 58,304 63,978
Percent 52% 47% 46% 47% 44% 43% 34% 29% 26% 28%
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
______________
10. “ Measuring Up 2006: The State Report Card on Higher Education— North Carolina,” The
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 10.
11. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education reports that the percent of fresh-man
at four- year N. C. institutions returning their sophomore year is 80 percent.
12. Barton, 19.
“ The school systems make the assump-tion
that all students should go to col-lege.
The reality is that many are best
suited for vocational jobs, which they
are not prepared for by the schools. As a
consequence, the business community
takes on the responsibility of training
new workers in the most basic of work
skills to include getting to work on
time.” ( Manufacturing, 0- 9 employees)
four N. C. jobs currently require a high school diploma or less. That ratio is not
expected to change much in the next 10- years. In contrast, only one in four jobs
now and in the future will require a postsecondary degree or some postsecondary
education. 13 As a consequence, high schools will remain the largest supplier of
workers for our state’s employers and the more significant educational institution
in preparing young people for work.
Because of its importance to the state’s economy, N. C. high schools need to take
more seriously the workforce needs and requirements of our state’s employers.
Preparing students for college should not be its exclusive focus. The declining
number of N. C. high school juniors and seniors getting employment experience is
good evidence that the state’s public education system does not take workforce
preparation as seriously as it should. While there has been some improvement in
the academic skills of high school graduates, only reading saw a majority of
employers agreeing graduates had the necessary skills. Less than a majority of
N. C. employers gave the mathematics, science and communication skills of grad-uates
the same assessment. As a consequence, every high school graduate needs
to be job- ready, which means that N. C. high schools need to continue improv-ing
the basic academic skills of all graduates so that they have an adequate
foundation in which to be trained in job specific skills.
However, not everything can be learned in the classroom; work experience is still
the best method for learning the values, skills and behaviors that employers expect
from job applicants. N. C. high schools must reverse the trend of fewer high
school students receiving the beneficial effects of work experience by reviving
cooperative education and expanding other work- based learning opportunities
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
21
160,572 197,132
687,536
822,344
386,614
476,066
2,065,266
2,212,331
1,732,747
2,009,345
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
Advanced Degree 4- Year Degree 2- Year Degree/ Some
Post
HS Diploma/ GED Less than HS Diploma
Figure 25: Total N. C. Employment by Educational Requirements for
Estimated Employment in 2007 and Projected Employment in 2017
Total Emp 2007 Total Emp 2017
( 35.2%)
( 34.4%)
( 38.7%)
( 41.0%)
( 8.3%)
( 7.7%)
( 14.4%)
( 13.7%)
( 3.2%) ( 3.4%)
______________
13. “ North Carolina State of the Workforce: An Assessment of the State’s Labor Force Demand
and Supply,” The North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development, ( 2007).
“ Our company has made numerous
attempts to work with our local school
district, both to create internship oppor-tunities
as well as to enhance current
industry focused curriculum develop-ment,
work ethic training and orienta-tion,
exposure to career options/ opportu-nities,
etc. and have really received little
or no response from the school district.
We are making these overtures because
of the lack that we see in area workforce
development. I strongly encourage the
state to increase this focus, making it a
priority for school systems ( especially in
districts where the majority of high
school graduates do not go on to higher
education) to work with local industry
with the goal of improving these skills.
Although we need to ensure that our stu-dents
have obtained the basic skills as
tested by the EOGs, we also have a
responsibility to ensure that they are
‘ employable’ and will succeed in the
workforce.” ( Manufacturing, 25- 49
employees)
such as internships, registered apprenticeship and even entrepreneurial oppor-tunities.
Since many N. C. high school students may not get the opportunity of a
work- based experience, community service hours would be another means by which
high school students can develop the “ soft skills” important to employers and adult-hood.
Moreover, middle schools and high schools need to help students begin
thinking about their future occupational goals by exposing them to different
occupations through means such as field trips and job shadowing. Parents, who
for the most part have one vision for career and financial success which is the
attainment of a four- year degree, also need to be exposed to career information
and opportunities to help their children make good career choices.
Another way to help young people learn the soft skills and gain greater exposure
to career opportunities and job- specific training is by tapping a source of knowl-edge
and experience that will be leaving the workforce over the next couple of
decades. Our state’s retiring baby boomers with knowledge and experience in
skilled trades should be enlisted into a volunteer community service organi-zation
like Volunteers in Service to America ( VISTA) to work with schools to
mentor and coach students and teachers.
N. C. Employers Need to Be Part of the Solution
One way in which middle and high school students and their parents can get more
exposure to these opportunities is through more employer involvement inside
local schools. One in three N. C. employers said they do not participate in any
activities with high schools. Furthermore, only four in 10 participate in jobs fairs,
one- third provides part- time employment opportunities, and one in 10 works to
incorporate industry standards into the curriculum or develop curriculum. The best
way for N. C. employers to solve their own skills crisis and guarantee that gradu-ates
are job- ready is by becoming more involved in local schools. N. C. employers
should not expect the schools to take the initiative. Instead, N. C. employers
should take leadership in creating viable business- education partnerships
organized to improve employment- readiness of high school graduates and
have agreed upon benchmarks for accountability. Such partnerships need to
be sanctioned by local school boards and the mission clearly defined. At a
minimum, partnerships should have employers assist local schools in devel-oping
work- relevant curriculums, expose students and parents to career
information and opportunities in their local area, and provide work- based
learning opportunities for students.
N. C. employers also need to deal with some of its contradictions. For example,
employers continue to judge the academic skills of high school graduates as inad-equate
while failing to communicate the importance of academic proficiency by
requiring applicants to submit academic transcripts. N. C. employers cannot
expect public education to bear this responsibility alone, thus N. C. employers
that hire high school graduates must request high school transcripts and test
scores from job applicants to signal the importance of academic achievement.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
22
“ The trades are considered the jobs for
failures even though as a carpenter I
made more than most people with a
bachelor’s degree.” ( Construction, 100-
249 employees)
However, reforming schools will not alone solve the growing skills shortage
nor should N. C. employers expect government and education to fix the prob-lem.
N. C. employers will have to help themselves. N. C. employers will need to
develop strategies to retain current workers longer. Only one out of 14 N. C.
employers said they offer incentives to older workers to remain, but retaining cur-rent
workers will require them to implement programs that attract older workers
to remain longer on the job. More than likely, employers will need to develop
employee retention programs and consider such options as offering financial and
fringe benefit incentives, flexible retirement options, flexible schedules, reduced
workloads, shorter workweeks, job sharing and training and education. Moreover,
N. C. employers will need to address working conditions and employee safety.
Some have claimed that data provided by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
( BLS) prove that the number of available jobs will outstrip the number of avail-able
workers by 2010. However, others contend ( including the BLS) that there are
flaws in the math and it is a misrepresentation of the data. They argue that there
are enough available people to fill available jobs. According to the BLS, in addi-tion
to the 8.2 million Americans who are unemployed, there are more than 75
million people of working age not working and another 24 million working part-time.
14 On top of people who are discouraged or working part- time, other poten-tial
labor market participants include early retirees and stay- at- home parents.
Either way, there is no denying we face a future where there will be more jobs than
qualified employees to fill them.
Consequently, N. C. employers will have to consider tapping potential labor
pools that may have gone unnoticed or underutilized before. N. C. employers
will need to actively recruit from special populations such as those who have
given up on the labor market, women, older people, the disabled and ex-offenders.
In some cases, this may require offering incentives such as family-friendly
policies to attract stay- at- home parents. In other cases it may require part-nering
with the N. C. Department of Corrections to prepare inmates returning to
society for work or attracting women to nontraditional occupations such as con-struction.
In any case, this will require N. C. employers to think differently about
the labor market and how and where they recruit potential workers.
Registered Apprenticeship: A Third Way
High school students are usually presented with an “ either/ or” option. In other
words, you can choose either to go to a postsecondary institution or go directly
into the workforce. Students receive much better information and counseling
regarding universities and colleges. Unfortunately, they are not likely to get any
information and counseling on career opportunities, particularly in the skilled
trades where jobs can be high paying and offer career advancement and opportu-nities
for higher education.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
23
______________
14. Robert J. Grossman, “ The Truth About the Coming Labor Shortage,” HR Magazine, v50,
( 2005): 52.
“ I love our current workforce ( very
diverse in age, national origin, gender,
and skill background). However, to hire
them I had to weed out a disturbingly
high number of illegal applicants and
those lacking the communication and
social skills to refrain from cursing and
boasting about unethical behavior and
confrontational episodes with supervi-sors
in the interviews.” ( Manufacturing,
25- 49 employees)
The “ either/ or” option tends to narrow our vision when it comes to alternate learning
paths to higher education and how higher education is defined. Going from high
school directly to a two- or four- year college isn’t the only route, nor is higher educa-tion
strictly the domain of colleges and universities. A good example of both an alter-nate
route and a different definition of higher education is registered apprenticeship.
Registered apprenticeship is a national program that prepares individuals for occu-pations
requiring a broad range of high- level skills and related technical knowl-edge.
Currently there are 900 apprentice- able occupations ranging from aircraft
mechanics and electricians to personnel systems managers and soil conservation
technicians. The apprentice learns the “ how- to” as a wage- earning employee train-ing
on- the- job under the direction of a highly skilled craftsperson. Usually, an
apprentice starts at half the craftsperson rate, working their way to the full rate
upon completion. As an apprentice demonstrates satisfactory progress in both on-the-
job training and related instruction, he or she is advanced in accordance with
the wage schedule as outlined in the registered apprenticeship standards. During
the apprenticeship, skilled craft workers supervise the apprentices, and review,
evaluate and maintain records related to the apprentice’s job performance.
Registered apprenticeship is also competency- based which means the apprentice
advances upon demonstration of mastery.
The “ why” is learned through related technical instruction in the classroom. Areg-istered
apprenticeship program can take from one year to six years, with the aver-age
program four years. For every 2,000 hours of on- the- job training, it is recom-mended
that an apprentice receive 144 hours of related classroom instruction. A
typical four- year program requires 8,000 hours of on- the- job training and 576
hours of related instruction. About 60 percent of all N. C. apprentices receive their
related instruction through the community college system while the other 40 per-cent
of classroom training comes directly from employers, the military, profes-sional
associations and labor organizations. Once an apprentice has completed
training, he or she receives a nationally recognized certificate of completion,
which in many cases can be more valuable to the holder as a means for employ-ment
than a baccalaureate degree.
The problem is that registered apprenticeship is underutilized as an education
alternative in North Carolina. Only 456 high school students were registered as
active apprentices in fiscal year 2004- 05. This represents less than three- tenths of
1 percent of the total population of eligible students in 11th and 12th grades. 15 A
2004 Government Accounting Office forum of national education and workforce
training experts contends that career education and apprenticeship are not given
enough emphasis in the nation’s high schools. 16
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
24
______________
15. The final enrollment for 11th graders in N. C. public schools during the 2004- 05 school- year
was 91,898. The total for 12th graders was 79,025. The statistics are reported in the North Carolina
Public Schools Statistical Profile for 2006.
16. “ Highlights of a GAO Forum, Workforce Challenges and Opportunities for 21st Century:
Changing Labor Force Dynamics and the Role of Government Polices.” GAO Report Number GAO-
04- 845SP, June, 2004, 11.
“ Need to encourage students to look to
vocational skills such as CNC machin-ists,
welders, etc., for good career
opportunities.” ( Manufacturing, 500- 999
employees)
While the completion of an apprenticeship program is a worthy goal in and of itself,
it does not mean that the completer cannot advance to other higher educational oppor-tunities.
In Europe, completion of an apprenticeship program is only the beginning
step and many companies offer journeymen educational and advancement opportuni-ties
that lead many into management ranks including corporate boardrooms.
The difference between registered apprenticeship and other forms of higher educa-tion
is that employers pay the apprentice a wage and also pay for related instruction.
The training and education of an apprentice for an employer is a significant invest-ment.
Employers who see this as a serious investment are not likely to hire high
school students who are simply exploring careers or who are there just to get work
experience. They are looking for students whose goal is to complete the program and
become productive employees. Unfortunately, too few high school students ever
complete an apprenticeship program. The problem is further compounded because
many apprenticeship programs involving high schools students have only one
apprentice, and the employers do not have a commitment to training, but perceive
their involvement with the program as a community service to local schools.
For registered apprenticeship to be a practical education and training alternative,
employers must have a commitment to training and be willing to offer apprentice
opportunities to high school students. In turn, high schools will need to do much
better job screening potential applicants so that the employer has some guarantee
regarding the students’ commitment to completing the program and becoming a
productive employee. Getting employers to provide such opportunities to high
school students and providing them job- specific training may be an uphill climb
since three out of four N. C. employers said they were unwilling to do so. Yet reg-istered
apprenticeship offers the potential to employers of growing their own
skilled labor to suit their job- specific needs.
N. C. high schools need to begin acting upon registered apprenticeship as an
alternate and viable path to higher education. But registered apprenticeship as
an alternate path is not possible without the support and buy- in of N. C. employ-ers.
Accordingly, not only will current apprenticeship sponsors need to make
apprentice opportunities available to high school students, more sponsors will be
needed to meet growing demand. Registered apprenticeship is the best way for
employers to ensure that workers are trained the way they want them. Results from
satisfaction surveys show that approximately 75 percent of employers that have
apprenticeship programs say that the program is either very important or critically
important relative to the company’s goals. Results also show that apprenticeship pro-grams
reduce turnover and improve productivity, quality workmanship, recruitment,
employee problem- solving, employee versatility and skills of employees.
In the end, solving the skills crisis is not the responsibility of a single institution
but the responsibility of all, which include schools, government, business and
even parents and students themselves. N. C. employers cannot sit idly by and wait
upon public schools to change for the better because they are not likely to change
upon their own volition. N. C. employers need to be knocking at the school house
door and ready and willing to roll- up their sleeves to go to work.
2006 N. C. Skills Market Survey Discussion
25
“ I do not believe the problem is the
schools. I believe it is the culture. The
schools are the scapegoat.” ( Manufac-turing,
100- 249 employees)